JOB DESCRIPTION

July 2015

Job title: SmartSkills TutorDepartment:Client Services

Team: Crisis Skylight CroydonJob Holder:Vacancy

Reporting to: Learning Manager

Aim

  • Assist homeless and other vulnerable adults in the development of life skills and self-esteem to better enable them to address the issues associated with their vulnerability and exclusion.
  • Gather evidence of personal development in accordance with the requirements of the City and guilds Learning Power award in order that learners can achieve an accredited qualification in recognition of their progress.
  • Develop and deliver a high quality one-to-one coaching and tuition service, structured around the ‘Learning Power’ award, for homeless and vulnerable adults.

Dimension

  • Support and manager volunteers as required within classes

Circumstances

  • 35 hours per week
  • Based in Croydon
  • Flexibility to work hours as required in order to meet clients’ needs. (This could involve out of office hours working- including some evening and weekends)
  • The role involves working with vulnerable adults and young people and so a satisfactory enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service is required

Salary

  • £32,893 per annum

Background

Crisis is the national charity for single homeless people. We are dedicated to ending homelessness by delivering life-changing services and campaigning for change.

Crisis Skylight, our award winning and accredited education, training and employment services, offer practical and creative workshops with formal learning opportunities that lead to qualifications and finding work.Crisis has Skylight centres open in London, Newcastle and Oxford and operates outreach services in Birmingham, Coventry, South Yorkshire and Edinburgh. Crisis is opening a new service in Croydon the autumn 2015.

The Role

Crisis SmartSkills is a person-centred learning programme for adults with multiple needs and vulnerabilities. Potential learners are referred to SmartSkills by partner organisations, which provide the learner with situational support (e.g. drug and alcohol advice, debt advice, counselling etc.)

In addition to one-to-one sessions, learning may take place

  • In group sessions with the SmartSkills Tutor and other learners
  • In the learner’s personal life – any relevant experiences can be captured and evidenced as part of the learner’s portfolio
  • Through external learning providers, often facilitated by the SmartSkills Tutor
  • Through the learner’s experiences while volunteering

Each SmartSkills tutor is expected to work intensively with approximately five learners at any one time and 40 learners over a year

Organisational Chart

Principle Accountabilities

Recruitment and Assessment

  • Undertake initial and formative assessment of learners select on the basis of need and eligibility criteria and respond accordingly
  • Administer assessments which inform the development of training and learning plans, taking in to account individual needs, styles and interests
  • Co-ordinate and deliver a range of training and assessment activities
  • Commit to a number of ‘duty’ shifts per week which will be shared across the coaching team. When ‘on duty’ ensure that all emergencies are responded to effectively and that there is always someone available to provide advice and guidance to our members. Carry out immediate assessments when necessary, introduce new members to the service, signpost them and undertake advocacy if appropriate

Teaching and Learning Support

  • Teach and support learning in accordance with best practice for the client group
  • Plan, reflect and review each learner’s programme on a regular basis
  • Prepare and use suitable and good quality learning materials
  • Identify resources and networking opportunities for training, education or work relevant to the client support plan
  • Establish and maintain standards of conduct with and for the learners
  • Adhere to organisational policies when dealing with aggressive or challenging behavior

Certification and Quality Assurance

  • Assess the learner’s progress and attainment against the standards set for the programme
  • Make and keep appropriate assessment records
  • Liaise as required with moderators and other representatives of awarding bodies
  • Maintain and provide required for accountability purposes

Source and maintain accreditation procedures and associated paperwork

  • Fulfil accreditation requirements and administer
  • Compile and maintain member records in line with audit procedures, maintaining member confidentiality at all times

Contribution to team and organization

  • Develop and share teaching and learning materials with the team
  • Participate in professional development activities
  • Promote well-being and development of the organisation internally and externally
  • Foster and preserve good professional relationships with other individuals and agencies

General

  • Actively encourage and support member involvement within Crisis
  • Ensure that any safeguarding concerns are identified and reported in line with Crisis’ procedures
  • Develop and maintain an understanding of Crisis’ work and the needs and circumstances of homeless people
  • Comply with Crisis policies and procedures, including Health and Safety policies, for which all employees owe a duty of care both to themselves and others, in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act

To carry out any other duties that may reasonably be required in the light of the main purpose of the job, including sharing responsibility with the Croydon Skylight team for ensuring a welcoming, clean and safe environment for staff and all those accessing the service

Person Specification

Essential

  1. The applicant should either hold or be working towards practical teaching qualifications i.e. adult basic skills, ESOL, PGCE, Cert Ed or equivalent
  2. Experience of working with challenging behaviour and clients with complex needs
  3. Understands the needs, issues and sensitivities of working with homeless, unemployed and vulnerable adults and develop practical solutions to address them
  4. Experience of engaging vulnerable clients in relevant educational, employment and training programmes
  5. Able to communicate effectively with individuals and groups using a variety of media
  6. Able to establish effective interpersonal relationships with a range of people
  7. Ability to keep accurate and up to date records, sharing information as and when appropriate
  8. Capacity both to work on your own, in teams and a willingness to reflect upon and develop own practice
  9. A passion for learning and enjoyment of creativity and innovation
  10. Experience of initial, formative and summative assessments, programme design, developing teaching and learning materials
  11. Knowledge of and ability to comply with safeguarding procedures

13.Commitment to Crisis’ purpose and values including equality and social inclusion

We encourage applications from all sections of the community particularly those with personal or previous experience of homelessness.