Support Coordinator

Payment: Roles in London will be paid £13.15 per hour (London Living Wage) and roles outside of London will be paid £12.00 per hour (National Living Wage)

Roles Available: We have approximately 25 roles available across all programmes

Assessments: The assessment stage will consist of an online group assessment, where candidates will be assessed on scenario-based activities. Assessments are scheduled to take place between 29th April and 24th May 2024 (multiple dates available).

Overview

The Social Mobility Foundation is seeking to recruit group leaders to support and supervise over 300 Year 12/S5 or Year 13/S6 students on internship programmes this summer. The young people will be high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds and they will be undertaking internships in the following professions: Banking and Finance, Business, Engineering, Law, Digital and Medicine. The internships will take place in person in either London, Middlesbrough, Manchester or Glasgow.

Accommodation: The group leaders will be provided with accommodation in the same location as the participants on the programme and will be responsible for the welfare of the young people staying there. The dates of the programmes running are listed below.  

Training: All Group leaders will be required to participate in training provided by the SMF before the residentials begin and then adhere to all aspects of that training. Group leaders will also be provided with the SMF’s safeguarding policy and all necessary risk assessments and health and safety/emergency information, and will be similarly required to adhere to all aspects of the documentation.

Transport: The SMF will cover all transport costs for Group Leaders, including train tickets to and from London, Manchester, Middlesbrough, and Glasgow as well as travel within the city for the duration of the programme.

Day Group Leader Hours: 7.30am-10am and 4.30pm-10.30pm. Leaders are required to be ‘On-Call’ (excluding breaks) between 10am-4:30pm and may be asked to do additional work during these hours. Leaders will be paid for any additional hours worked. 

Night Group Leader Hours: 10pm-6am. Leaders may be asked to assist with student events in the evenings i.e. from 6pm onwards (optional). Leaders will be paid for any additional hours worked.

Person Specification

• Good interpersonal and communication skills  
• Ability to engage and communicate appropriately with young people
• Ability to encourage group discussion and build rapport with young people
• Some experience of working with young people, either through work or volunteering (although not necessarily on residential programmes)
• Hard-working and efficient
• An understanding of university admissions (e.g. have applied to a university or understand the process)
• Ability to ensure discipline is maintained and young people are kept safe throughout the residential
• An understanding of safeguarding, with the ability to follow safeguarding policies and practices to keep young people safe.

Appointment is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service or PVG check.

Day Group Leaders – Specific Responsibilities

Reporting line: All group leaders will report to a designated supervisor.

Group leaders will be the ‘responsible adult’ for a small group of up to 12 young people and share supervisory responsibilities for all of the young people on the programme when the group is together.

Responsibilities for Group Leaders on in person programmes will include:

• Living on-site in the accommodation provided for the duration of the internships
• Taking students to and from their internship locations and evening activities each day, using the London Underground or other local public transport systems
• Seeing to the smooth running of morning and evening activities, including ensuring all the young people are in the right place at the right time and understand what is required of them.
• Monitoring the behaviour of the participating students and taking action in the event of any incident of unacceptable behaviour (which includes being absent from an activity without prior agreement, disobeying any regulation in the host accommodation or at work, any action that might or does cause damage to persons or property, or any other infringement of the Codes of Conduct agreed by the participants and their parents)
• Taking action if a participant is ill or injured, in consultation with the relevant supervisor  
• Being aware of health and safety and child protection issues, and taking action wherever necessary to remove or alleviate dangers or risks
• Ensuring that the members of your specified group are engaging fully in all aspects of the programme, alerting SMF staff to any issues i.e. homesickness, lack of supervision in the workplace, etc.
• Being actively involved in the evening activities to help the young people complete the required tasks, assisting those delivering the activities as required
• Ensuring that participants are in their own rooms at the specified time in the evening and that they are adhering to the codes of conduct.
• Undertake other duties as determined by SMF staff present

Breakfast will be provided, and you will be given a daily allowance for lunch.

Evening meals will be provided on site, or you will receive additional allowance on nights you are eating out with students at restaurants.

Night Group Leaders – Specific Responsibilities

Reporting line: All group leaders will report to a designated supervisor.

Night group leaders will be the point of contact throughout the night should students have any issues. The most important aspect is always student welfare and safeguarding.

Responsibilities for Group Leaders on in person programmes will include:

• Living on-site in the accommodation provided for the duration of the internships.
• Meeting with other night group leaders and programme supervisor before each evening patrol, to discuss any issues from the previous night (for example, particular students being in each other’s rooms when they should not be, students not going to bed when they should be)
• Undertake night patrols from approximately 11pm, being present in accommodation hallways and exit points
• Remaining on call and contactable (in your room) between 1am and 7am  and undertaking basic administrative tasks, as assigned by the supervisor
• Taking part in some evening activities with students and other residential staff where needed – this is optional and time will be added to your paid hours. 
• Taking students to and from their internship locations where needed – this is optional time will be added to your paid hours.
• Monitoring the behaviour of the participating students during the night and taking action in the event of any incident of unacceptable behaviour (which includes absconding from accommodation, disobeying any regulation in the host accommodation at night, any action that might or does cause damage to persons or property, or any other infringement of the Codes of Conduct agreed by the participants and their parents)
• Taking action if a participant is ill or injured during the night, in consultation with the relevant SMF staff member.
• Being aware of health and safety and child protection issues and taking action wherever necessary to remove or alleviate dangers or risks. 
• Undertaking other duties as determined by SMF staff present.

Night group leaders will be free to spend their daytime hours as they wish.

Breakfast will be provided, and you will be given a daily allowance for lunch. Evening meals will be provided on site or you will be given an allowance for food.

Application Process

All applications must be made through our recruitment system, Pinpoint. Interested applicants should answer the following questions:

-       Why are you interested in this position and what relevant experience do you have? (max 250 words)

-       Tell us about a time where you have communicated a complex piece of information (written or verbal) (max 200 words)

-       What is your understanding of safeguarding and/or child protection and how it applies to this role? (max 150 words)

In your application, you will be asked which programmes (dates/locations) you wish to be considered for. You will also be asked if you wish to apply for Day or Night Leader (or both).

Generic or incomplete applications will not be considered. 

Please note: the Social Mobility Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity.

Closing Date: 9am, Monday 22nd April 2024