Specialist Mentor (Mental Health and Autism)

at  University of Derby

JOB DETAILS

Responsible to
Student Support Manager
Location
All Derby Sites
Closing date
Sunday 3 November 2024
Salary
£25.17 per hour plus time and a half for each hour of student contact
Job grade

MPS 2

Reference
0474-24
Contract type
Fixed term contract until 30/05/2025
Post type
Hourly paid
Adaptive working type
Hybrid
This role will be based on site, primarily in the named location with the opportunity to work remotely available in line with our Adaptive Working Framework.
Please note: applicants already contracted to full-time positions within the University are not permitted to undertake additional contracted hours due to the weekly working time directive.
About the University
We have one simple promise – to make a positive impact. Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better.
The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook. Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region.
We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 – making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes.
Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills.
About the College/Department
Student Services at the University of Derby is committed to providing the best possible support services to our students, to enhance the student experience, to help students achieve their full potential and to meet the strategic aims of the University. These services are central to the student experience they are visible, seamless, effective and tailored to the needs of our student community. As part of this commitment, a transformational programme of work is underway in Student Services to ensure that the support we deliver not only meets the needs of our students but also enables delivery of a vision for a developmental and collaborative model of student services that supports a transformational educational experience for students.
We are excited for this next chapter in our service and welcome applicants with vision, drive and a passion for supporting student success.
About the role
As a Specialist Mentor (Mental Health and Autism) you will work with individual students in the development of bespoke strategies to support independent learning and self-management to address the barriers to learning created by their disability. You will deliver specialist individual sessions to students in accordance with accredited standards and university policies and procedures, ensuring that student needs are met in line with their individual needs.
Actual hours and days will be described in a ‘Schedule of Work’.
About You
We are looking for an individual with experience of providing mentoring support on an individual basis to support students with mental health problems or Autism. The ideal candidate will have demonstrable experience of working within a mental health setting and possess the ability to maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality. You should be able to stay calm in challenging situations, providing steady support to those in need.
If you have a passion for helping others and thrive in a student support environment, we encourage you to apply!

Principal accountabilities

• Provide regular, one-to-one, support for students who experience mental illness and/or Autism.
• To work in conjunction with the Student Support team and student to identify the student’s individual support needs and draw up a support agreement form.
• To promote the development of independent learning and self-management strategies.
• To assist in finding appropriate solutions for queries and problems and act as a link between the student and other areas of the university when necessary.
• To assist the student in managing workloads and planning their time effectively.
• To complete relevant paperwork in line with the Quality Assurance Framework.
• To discuss and devise revision strategies and techniques.
• To keep accurate records, regularly assess and review student’s progress and amend study strategy accordingly.
• To monitor the student’s mental health and raise concerns, at the earliest opportunity.
• To maintain confidentiality and work within the policies and procedures of the Student Services.
• Keep accurate records and log time spent with/for the student for payment/invoicing purposes.
• To provide support to the wider Student Support team when available.
• Contribute to a Critical Incident on-call rota for the Student Services.
• To contribute, as appropriate, to the evaluation and monitoring of the service provision.
• To attend regular group supervision meetings with the Student Support team.
• To maintain professional body registration and update Continuous Professional Development (CPD) within requirements.
• To be responsible for promoting the University’s Equality & Diversity Policy.
• Maintain a safe working environment and to work to the University Health and Safety Policy.

Person specification

QUALIFICATIONS

• A relevant undergraduate degree or equivalent experience
• Professional registration with either HCP/NMC/BACP
• Evidenced training in Adult Autism by a qualified trainer
• Mandatory DfE qualification and professional body membership requirements to deliver DSA’s fundable Non-Medical Help (NMH) Specialist Mentor roles: practitioners.slc.co.uk/media/1991/nmh-qualifications-matrix-july2023-updated-sept-23.pdf

EXPERIENCE

• Experience of working with people who experience mental illness and/or Autism
• Demonstrable experience of working within a mental health setting

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & ABILITIES

• An awareness of mental health conditions and autism spectrum conditions and potential impact on academic study
• Sound knowledge of mental health legislation
• Knowledge of Equality and Diversity Legislation
• Knowledge of the Equality Act 2010
• An understanding of the diversity of the student population and their need in respect of services
• Excellent written skills at a Higher Education (HE) academic level
• Ability to work within professional boundaries and maintain confidentiality
• Ability to remain calm in challenging situations
• Ability to demonstrate commitment and reliability
• Ability to demonstrate motivation and initiative

BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS

• Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
• Willingness and ability to travel to different university campuses to deliver specialist support to students

Benefits

• Annual leave accrual
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family-friendly policies and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers
• Discounted onsite gym
• Discounted access to Devonshire Spa
• A flexible working environment
• A commitment to personal and professional development

Find out more about rewards and benefitsFind out more about rewards and benefits
Key contact
For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Charlotte Wisson, Student Support Manager via c.wisson@derby.ac.uk
For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via recruitment@derby.ac.uk.
Be part of something extraordinary, apply now

• Provide regular, one-to-one, support for students who experience mental illness and/or Autism.
• To work in conjunction with the Student Support team and student to identify the student’s individual support needs and draw up a support agreement form.
• To promote the development of independent learning and self-management strategies.
• To assist in finding appropriate solutions for queries and problems and act as a link between the student and other areas of the university when necessary.
• To assist the student in managing workloads and planning their time effectively.
• To complete relevant paperwork in line with the Quality Assurance Framework.
• To discuss and devise revision strategies and techniques.
• To keep accurate records, regularly assess and review student’s progress and amend study strategy accordingly.
• To monitor the student’s mental health and raise concerns, at the earliest opportunity.
• To maintain confidentiality and work within the policies and procedures of the Student Services.
• Keep accurate records and log time spent with/for the student for payment/invoicing purposes.
• To provide support to the wider Student Support team when available.
• Contribute to a Critical Incident on-call rota for the Student Services.
• To contribute, as appropriate, to the evaluation and monitoring of the service provision.
• To attend regular group supervision meetings with the Student Support team.
• To maintain professional body registration and update Continuous Professional Development (CPD) within requirements.
• To be responsible for promoting the University’s Equality & Diversity Policy.
• Maintain a safe working environment and to work to the University Health and Safety Policy