Job Description
ASEND is a SEND Education Provider with a difference. We provide exceptional support for our SEND mentors, equipping them with everything they need to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable young people in a flexible, dynamic, and well-compensated way. As the needs of our pupils are at the forefront of what we do, we can offer some professional guidance and development when required.
SEND Mentor Benefits
* £25-£30 per hour (with opportunities for pay increases)
* Flexible part-time or full-time hours that work for you
* Occasional online and work-from-home opportunities
* A unique working environment where you collaborate with our team and support network to make every lesson / role a success
About the young person and the SEND Mentor role
This advert is for a specific placement we will offer the successful candidate. This advert being live means this placement is still available. We are also hiring for multiple roles and welcome applications to be a SEND Mentors even if this specific placement is not the right fit for you.
* Located in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire
* 4 hours per week, between 10am and 3pm (with some flexibility to be arranged)
* Key Stage 3 age
* Needs support in re-engaging in learning
* Requires a caring mentor who can support with her social anxiety needs
* She is:
a bright and academically gifted 13-year-old navigating multiple needs, including autism, ADHD, OCD, Specific Learning difficulties and postural challenges. With aspirations of achieving her GCSEs, pursuing A-levels and onwards into university, she is a curious learner whose engagement peaks when she is interested in a subject. She thrives in an environment where she feels safe and understood, often communicating best on calmer days when she trusts her mentor.
The ideal mentor will be authentic, relatable, and able to explore her interests; she is big into world events. Flexibility is crucial due to her having unpredictable good and bad days; respecting this is a factor for her mentor to take into account. She prefers to lead conversations and activities, requiring a mentor who actively listens and treats her as an equal.
Finding the right mentor is essential for her to re-engage in her education and develop strategies for managing social anxiety. Her journey toward education is unique, and she deserves a supportive guide to help her navigate it with confidence. If you believe you can connect with her as an authentic human being who respects her individuality, we encourage you to apply.
This role will involve working with the young person on a 1 to 1 basis, providing child-centred support focussed on engaging them and nurturing their wellbeing. It will involve travelling to the placement, supporting them, and writing a brief report to record your hours.
About our ideal SEND Mentor
Essential
* Enhanced DBS (we can help obtain this for you)
* Experience, knowledge, and understanding of safeguarding processes
* A person-centred approach in your work
* A passion for helping pupils overcome any barriers to learning and difficulties with engagement
* You must work in a way that promotes the health, safety, and wellbeing of children and young people and follow safeguarding policies and procedures at all times.
Desirable
* Experience supporting Social Communication
* Experience delivering Key Stage 3 in an interests based way
* You may have experience working with children in a therapeutic way
* You may have supported vulnerable family members or worked in care settings
Most important to us is the right ethos and mentality - we can help with the rest!
About ASEND and applying to be a SEND Mentor with us:
At ASEND, we support SEN (Special Education Needs) / SEND (Special Education Needs and Disabilities), as well as other needs such as SEMH needs (Social, Emotional and Mental Health). We are increasingly supporting children and young people with MLD (Moderate Learning Difficulties), SLD (Severe Learning Difficulties) and PMLD (Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties).
We want to build the best team we can to support the UK’s vulnerable young people:
* Interviews are being scheduled on a rolling basis.
* We look forward to receiving your application outlining your relevant skills and experience that can help make a difference.
* We are keen to hear from candidates from all backgrounds. The over 2 million vulnerable children in the UK are disproportionately constituted of minority and LGBTQIA+ communities, as well as people with disabilities, refugees and migrants, and people living with mental health conditions. It is integral to our mission of raising the standard of support for the UK's vulnerable learners that we engage people from all backgrounds so that our professionals can share/relate to the experiences of our students.
* Due to the number of applications we receive, we are unable to respond to every applicant. We aim to respond to all successful applicants within two weeks.
* We take Safer Recruitment seriously. All candidates must pass through our strict processes to ensure their suitability to work with children and young people before being considered for work with us.
* We are not able to provide Visa Sponsorship for these positions.
Relevant Job Titles / Previous Experience
Individuals with highly relevant experience from therapeutic and learning support backgrounds often have worked in the following roles:
* Learning Support Assistant (LSA) / Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA)
* Mentor
* Buddy / Buddies
* Youth Worker
* Psychotherapist or Counsellor
* Educational Therapist
* Speech and Language Therapist
* Assistant Educational Psychologist
* Inclusion Coordinator
* Social Worker
* Care Worker
If you hold one of these roles, meet our requirements, and are considering a career change please do consider applying with us.