Job Description
The Role
The successful candidates will assist students individually with a variety of study organisation challenges, and in resolving problems to enable students to focus more effectively on academic progress. Responsibilities vary, but may include supporting students to keep appointments, plan and track completion of study related tasks, and navigate some social situations. A minimum caseload of 8 students is a requirement.
Working as a member of a multi-disciplinary team you will meet regularly, by appointment, with your allocated students to advise and assist them on appropriate approaches and strategies which they may adopt to facilitate effective study and learning.
The successful candidates will be qualified to degree level and must have comprehensive training in adult autism as determined by the “Non-Medical Help (NMH) – DfE qualification and professional body membership requirements to deliver DSA’s fundable NMH roles” for the role of ‘Specialist Mentor - Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC)’.
Successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) check.
Appointments are normally made within 4 - 8 weeks of the closing date.
What you’ll do
This job description is subject to review and amendment in the light of the changing needs of the University, to provide appropriate development opportunities and/or the addition of any other reasonable duties.
Specialist mentors provide highly specialist, specifically tailored, one to one support which helps students in accessing their higher education studies. This could include a range of issues, for example, coping with anxiety and stress situations, how to deal with concentration difficulties, time management, prioritising workload and creating a suitable work-life balance.
The SM-ASC role can be recommended for students with autism spectrum conditions (ASC), attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Specialist Mentors help students understand what is required of them academically in Higher Education, recognise the barriers to learning created by their condition and support them in developing strategies to address these barriers. Mentors will usually provide support for their students throughout their time at university. For most students this support will need to be ongoing while for others it might be gradually phased out or only be required at certain points of their course, such as points of transition.
Specialist Mentors should not act as advocates or counsellors
Students will have an allocated number of sessions allotted to mentoring. Mentors are required to work within these guidelines. We request a minimum caseload of 8 students, however minimum work hours are not guaranteed and will vary according to individual assignments; these respond to individual student support plans and work around individual timetable scheduling. On average, an eligible student may be allocated between 1-2 hours mentoring per week during term time. Students will be allocated to you by your line manager taking into consideration availability and established competences.
This employment opportunity is offered as a Non-Medical Helper funded by Disabled Students’ Allowances. Whilst the majority of mentoring sessions will take place during the academic terms mentors should be available throughout the year. In person 1:1 sessions will take place in approved campus locations between 9.00am and 5.00pm.
Main Duties & Responsibilities
The purpose of the SM-ASC role is to support students in accessing their higher education (HE) studies by:
1. Supporting students in understanding what is required of them academically in HE.
2. Identifying barriers to the student’s learning.
3. Helping students to develop effective organisation and time management skills and strategies to manage their workload and deadlines in the presence of their condition, including plotting assignment deadlines & identifying and managing any converging deadlines.
4. Helping students with prioritisation and realistic goal setting, including producing plans of work and targets and working with the student to monitor and review progress in this area.
5. Developing a support programme to facilitate the growth of the student’s independence, reducing the need for support in the longer term. Assist the student to meet their own aspirations for participation and fulfil their study and personal potential
6. Orientation: Ensure students are able successfully navigate the campus for scheduled sessions (fresher’s week sessions; lectures, seminars and workshops; appointments at finance office etc).
7. Transition: Use knowledge of the University’s structures and procedures to guide and support students transitioning through university from their arrival, breaks in study, through to transition out of university life in preparation for employment.
8. Provide regular opportunities for students to check email, Blackboard and any other relevant sources of information and communication from academic or service departments and to encourage the student to act on these as necessary.
9. Provide the information and support required for students to develop their own skills in planning, identification of priorities, goal setting, and time management; similarly for the recording, storage, organisation and retrieval of academic information.
10. Monitor the student’s engagement with their course of study and identify any shortfall in relation to the student’s current support provision recommendations.
11. Anticipate any access needs that may arise for the individual because of unexpected developments (late changes to rooms or session changes), receiving and acting on communications relating to these to ensure their progression and minimise negative impacts on the student.
12. Build a working relationship with the student to quickly identify any difficulties that may arise. Assess needs and any areas of risk, referring the student to relevant academic, administrative or support staff in order to prevent disengagement from their course of study and to empower the student to make decisions relating to their progression.
13. Encounter potentially difficult and challenging health and wellbeing issues and responding with sensitivity, diplomacy and de-escalation skills.
14. Liaise with departmental colleagues (i.e. Accessibility Advisers, Wellbeing Adviser and Study Skills Tutor).
15. Provide a safe space for students who mask, or experience overwhelm, working with sensitivity to the effects of the disability.
16. To attend required training, meetings and Reflective Practice sessions to share best practice and develop professionally in the role.
17. To undertake health and safety duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post.
18. To be committed to the University’s Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy, together with an understanding of how it operates within the responsibilities of the post.
19. To be committed to your own development and that of your staff through the effective use of the University’s Effective Contribution Scheme.
20. Any other reasonable duties requested commensurate with the grade of this role.
Who you are – Qualifications, Experience, Knowledge and Skills required
Essential
21. First degree or equivalent qualification or experience.
22. Comprehensive training in adult autism as determined by the “Non-Medical Help (NMH) – DfE qualification and professional body membership requirements to deliver DSA’s fundable NMH roles” for the role of “Specialist Mentor - Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC)”.
23. Previous experience with disability related issues that inform and develop mentor practice.
24. Ability to provide mentoring using a learner centred, non-judgmental approach.
25. Excellent communication skills including active listening skills and strong verbal and written skills that understand the nature of those who may have social communication challenges.
26. Ability to engage with different learning and communication styles and be flexible and resourceful in facilitating access to study.
27. Ability to promote mentee independence through strategies such as goal setting, confidence building and other appropriate methods.
28. Exceptional organisational skills, with the ability work with students to manage any challenges with executive functioning.
29. Excellent IT and administrative skills including minuting / notetaking, using Microsoft Excel, and using database, timesheet and shared document platforms.
30. Ability to remain calm and de-escalate challenging situations and to refer on to appropriate staff members when necessary.
31. Full understanding of and cooperation with data protection and confidentiality procedures.
32. Ability to take a caseload of 8 students minimum and to work flexibly, prioritising term-time availability for seeing students and attending required meetings but including ability to work throughout the year as required.
33. Oral (spoken) and Written Welsh Level A1* or evidence to demonstrate an on-going commitment to learn Welsh to this level.
Desirable
34. Substantial experience of working with students with disabilities and/or specific learning differences on a one-to-one basis.
35. Demonstrable experience of undertaking Continuous Professional Development as part of a teaching or support worker role.
36. Knowledge of the University’s structures and procedures.
37. Oral (spoken) and Written Welsh Level C1.*
*More information on Welsh Language Levels can be found at:
How to apply
To promote a flexible workforce, the University will consider applications from individuals seeking full time, part time, job share, or term time only working arrangements.
Applications for this role must be made through jobs.aber.ac.uk. You are welcome to apply for any vacancy in Welsh or English and any application submitted will be treated equally.
Benefits
38. Flexible working policy
39. 36.5 – hour week for full-time roles
40. Generous leave entitlements – 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays and university closed days
41. Commitment to Professional Development
42. Enhanced contribution to our workplace pension schemes
43. Staff recognition and reward schemes
44. Opportunity to learn the Welsh language for free
45. Staff relocation bursary
46. Maternity, Paternity, Parental and Adoption Leave
47. Staff discount for gym facilities, hospitality, and retail on campus.
Please keep reading
We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and communities and, those that are currently underrepresented in our workforce. This includes but is not limited to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates, candidates with disabilities, and female candidates.
We are a Bilingual Institution which complies with the Welsh Language Standards and is committed to Equal Opportunities. You are welcome to apply for any vacancy in Welsh or English and any application submitted will be treated equally.
Employment Visa
Under the UK Government’s points-based system scheme, this role does not meet the criteria to be sponsored by Aberystwyth University (AU) for a Skilled Worker Route (SWR) application.