Specialist Mentor (ASC) – Wolverhampton
Locations: University of Wolverhampton
Salary: £30.20ph
Hours: Zero Hour Contract
Barry Bennett are one of the largest companies offering specialist support to students in receipt of DSA (Disabled Students’ Allowance) throughout the UK. We provide a range of support specialised to everyone’s individual needs whilst studying at university.
Mentors work with students on a one-to-one basis addressing the barriers to learning created by impairment from autism spectrum conditions. Examples of these barriers include, coping with anxiety and stress, how to deal with concentration difficulties, time management, and creating a suitable work-life balance. Mentors are not advocates or counsellors; their role is to promote independent learning as well as empowering the student to manage their workload, especially during times of transition.
Main Responsibilities
- Specialist mentors highly provide specialist, specifically tailored, one to one support which helps students address the barriers to learning
- The support can include helping students with 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 role is there to help students recognise the barriers to learning they may have and support them in developing strategies to address these barriers.
- Support may be needed more during times of transition, e.g. when starting at university or when planning to move on from it. For some 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.
- Supporting students in understanding what is required of them academically in HE.
- Helping students to develop effective organisation and time management skills and strategies to manage their workload and deadlines in the presence of their condition.
- Helping students with prioritisation and realistic goal setting, including producing plans of work and targets.
- Developing a support programme to facilitate the growth of the student’s independence, reducing the need for support in the longer term.
Requirements:
The successful applicant will possess the following qualities
- Substantial experience of working with autistic adults.
- An in-depth understanding of the effects of autism on language and learning.
- An in-depth knowledge of how disabilities affect areas of learning.
- An awareness of the strengths autistic students can bring to a learning situation.
- The skills to help students make use of their strengths and overcome barriers to learning.
- It is expected that SM:ASCs should have an in-depth knowledge and experience of autism and an understanding of the demands of study in HE
Essential Qualifications:
The successful applicant must have the relevant qualifications and hold the current memberships.
Note: Note: Must hold 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 in Column A.
Column A
1. Holds an undergraduate degree Level 6 or above AND Comprehensive training in adult autism (Item 1 from Column B)
2. Holds any undergraduate degree Level 6 or above AND Comprehensive training in adult autism (Item 2 Column B) AND one from a or b or c or d Column C.
3. Holds a relevant undergraduate degree Level 6 or above AND one from a or b or c or d Column C. A relevant degree must contain a substantial autism component. This will be checked at audit.
(NOTE: There is no requirement to undertake a qualification from column B for 3. above)
4. Holds a Postgraduate Certificate (PGC) in Autism or Asperger's or Critical Disability Studies focusing on autism AND one from a or b or c or d Column C.
(NOTE: There is no requirement to undertake a qualification from column B for 4. above)
5. Holds a Master of Arts, Master of Education or Doctorate (MA /Med/PhD) in Education (Autism or Special Educational Needs and Disability or Critical Disability Studies focusing on autism) AND one from a or b or c or d Column C.
(NOTE: There is no requirement to undertake a qualification from column B for 5. above)
Column B
1. Optimum Student Support training course: Autism and ADHD in Higher Education: Recognising and addressing the barriers through Non-Medical Helper (NMH) Mentoring and Study Skills Strategies.
(NOTE: There is no requirement to undertake a qualification from column C for this above)
2. Six National Autistic Society (NAS) online training modules:
- Understanding autism
- Autism and communication
- Autism and sensory experience
- Autism, stress and anxiety
- Autism: supporting families
- Autism and Girls
Learners will receive a certificate of completion.
AND one from a or b or c or d in column C
Column C
One of the following is required in addition to Column A (2,3,4 or 5) and Column B 2.
Additional training choices a) OR b) OR c) OR d)
a)
National Autistic Society (NAS) one-day face to face course in
Autism and SPELL in Higher Education. This can be by individual attendance at an NAS organised course, or by attendance at an in-house course delivered by NAS tutors.
AND
National Autistic Society (NAS) Autism and Girls online course if not taken as part of column B no.2
OR
b)
‘Working Effectively with Autistic University Students’.
Autism training provided by the National Association of Disability Practitioners (NADP)
OR
c)
Optimum Student Support NON-MEDICAL HELPER (NMH) SKILLS TRAINING COURSE: Mentoring and Study Skills and Strategy Support for autistic and ADHD students in HE
OR
d) In-house, or other accredited training, at an HE institution or elsewhere, and accredited to at least CPD level, which must include autism in HE as its lead subject.
AND
National Autistic Society (NAS) Women and girls online training module if not taken as part of Column B no 2.
Note 1: All training should be delivered by an appropriately qualified trainer (a qualified trainer from a recognised organisation/charity, or a trainer who can demonstrate a relevant qualification in autism) which results in a certificate of attendance
The person delivering the course should have experience of delivering training for Autism. The minimum expectation is that the level of experience should be at the same level, or higher, as the training that is to be delivered. The trainer should also have a knowledge of autistic students undertaking a course in Higher Education. The minimum expectation is that the level of knowledge should be at the same level or higher than the training that is to be delivered.
Note 2: In-house autism training provided by several NMH providers may be acceptable under item d) above. Spectrum First may offer in-house training days and workshops for autism to ready-made groups.
Note 3: For item d) please check that the course is accredited to at least CPD level before undertaking it. You should ensure you will receive a certificate of completion as this will be required for auditing by the department.
Support workers must also undertake 10 hours of Autism relevant CPD annually.
Other Information:
- You must be eligible to work in the UK
- Must provide a current basic DBS check.
- Must be able to support students on campus and remotely
Benefits to include:
- Competitive pay
- Holiday Pay
- Flexible working hours
- Zero Hour Contract
As a Disability Confident Leader, Barry Bennett Ltd will undertake to interview an applicant with a disability who meets the minimum criteria for a job vacancy and will consider them on their abilities. If you wish to be regarded as disabled for this purpose, please indicate this on your application. Additionally, if you require information in accessible formats, please request this.
Please email your CV and covering letter to: Email: [email protected].
We welcome speculative approaches. If you are interested in a career as a support worker at Barry Bennett Ltd, please submit your CV with a covering letter by post or email to the address below:
FAO: Claire Scott
Barry Bennett Ltd
Units 47 & 48, Waters Meeting Business Park
Britannia Way
Bolton
BL2 2HH
Email: [email protected]
Please Note - No Agencies
