Overview
Reaching Wider aims to facilitate the entrance of people from under‑represented backgrounds into Higher Education. The North and Mid Wales Partnership will manage a national mentoring programme across Wales, working with the Southwest Wales and Southeast Wales Reaching Wider partnerships. The post holder will recruit, train and coordinate HE undergraduates to be mentors to learners engaged in 16‑19 education, offering a package of mentoring support for the academic year 2025 to 2026.
The National Offer Has Five Priorities
* Supporting the transition to higher education – increase confidence, progression, lifelong learning, and success.
* Supporting educational aspiration – raise motivation, retention and progression.
* Enhancing educational skills – enable learners to fulfil their academic potential and be prepared for further and/or higher education.
* Promoting vocational and employability skills – encourage upskilling and career aspirations, including access to apprenticeships and professions.
* Promoting equality of opportunity and inclusive approaches for care‑experienced people, carers and people with disabilities.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
* Support the Project Manager to establish good working relationships with stakeholders and deliver the project.
* Assist in recruiting mentees and mentors to the programme.
* Support partners to manage the conversion process from sign‑up to joining and engagement throughout the project.
* Work with schools and colleges to determine their specific needs in respect of the mentoring programme.
* Gather information for effective programme evaluation.
* Deliver online mentor training sessions and online mentee inductions.
* Ensure safeguarding and welfare of all participants is always adhered to.
* Deliver in‑person mentor and mentee training sessions about the online mentoring platform.
* Deliver recruitment lunch and learn events and sessions to promote and recruit mentors and mentees onto the programme.
* Support the Welsh Medium and bilingualism for the project, ensuring translation is completed in accordance with lead institution language policies.
Other Duties And Responsibilities
* Carry out any other duties that the Project Manager considers required.
* Pro‑actively promote all Reaching Wider activities and refer any inquiries to the appropriate colleagues.
* Participate in performance review and developmental activities.
* Comply with the University equal opportunities policies, Dignity at Work and Study Policy and the University’s Welsh Language Scheme.
* Ensure safeguarding, pastoral care and welfare of all participants on the programmes by ensuring that safeguarding, vulnerable adult and health and safety procedures are always adhered to.
* Promote Welsh medium activities and the development of bilingual materials.
* Raise awareness of activities & achievements on social media platforms.
Person Specification
Qualifications / Training
Essential
* 2 AS Levels or 1 A Level or NVQ Level 4 in a relevant subject area.
* Professional qualifications or accreditation relevant to the role.
Desirable
* Degree level (or equivalent) in a relevant subject area or teaching‑based qualification.
* Extensive experience of outreach engagement with Reaching Wider target cohorts in an educational context.
* Experience of working with Further Education and Higher Education.
* Experience of leading and developing activity with Reaching Wider target cohorts.
* Demonstrable experience of organising and coordinating outreach events for Reaching Wider target cohorts.
* Experience of delivering training online via Teams, Zoom and other online platforms.
* Experience of recruitment and training of FE/HE students to deliver to community groups and schools.
Skills / Abilities
Essential
* Computer literate and proficient in the use of the internet, Microsoft software packages (Outlook, Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint).
* Self‑motivated with a positive outlook and ability to assess one’s own performance.
* Act as ambassador for Reaching Wider and communicate at all levels in a range of organisations.
* Work with others and be a team‑player.
* Plan, organise and deliver effective workshops, seminars and training events; good organisational skills and ability to manage a variety of tasks at the same time.
* Work autonomously and explore new challenges and responsibilities.
Desirable
* Understanding of local communities and marginalised/disadvantaged groups.
* Knowledge and understanding of the background to Reaching Wider and the widening access agenda in Wales.
Other
Essential
* Prepare to travel across the designated region(s) and occasionally to other parts of Wales and the UK with transportation organised by the role holder.
Desirable
* Communicate in Welsh – desirable for this post. Opportunities to learn Welsh are available if the successful candidate wishes to do so.
General
The University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language through our progressive Welsh Language Policy and are committed to equality of opportunity.
Disclosure & Barring Service
This post is subject to a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check.
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