Behaviour Support Assistant in Southampton

Location: Southampton
Contract: Full-time – Temporary to Permanent opportunity
Start Date: ASAP
Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience

Are you passionate about helping young people who may have struggled to thrive within a mainstream school environment?

Do you have experience in education, youth work, behaviour support, sports coaching or mentoring?

If so, this could be the opportunity you have been looking for.

GSL Education are currently recruiting for a full-time Learning Mentor to join a specialist Alternative Provision in Southampton, supporting young people aged 5–16 who require a more personalised approach to education.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who wants to build positive relationships with young people, develop their confidence and help them re-engage with education.

About the Provision

The provision takes a highly personalised approach, supporting young people who may face barriers to learning and helping them develop the skills, confidence and resilience they need to move forward.

There is a strong emphasis on wellbeing, life skills, personal development and re-engagement, alongside academic learning.

Physical activity and sport are also a key part of the provision, making this an excellent opportunity for candidates with a background in sports coaching, PE, fitness, outdoor education or similar. Sport can be a particularly effective way of building trust, encouraging positive behaviour and helping young people develop communication, teamwork and resilience.

The role will involve working both on and off site, so a full UK driving licence and access to your own vehicle is essential.

The Role

As a Learning Mentor, you will:

• Build strong, trusting and positive relationships with young people aged 5–16
• Provide one-to-one and small-group mentoring and support
• Help students develop confidence, resilience and positive attitudes towards education
• Support students with emotional regulation, behaviour and social development
• Encourage engagement through sport, physical activity and practical learning
• Support students both on-site and within the local community
• Help young people develop important life skills and independence
• Work closely with colleagues and other professionals to support individual students
• Act as a positive role model and provide consistency and encouragement
• Help students overcome barriers to learning and reach their potential

What We're Looking For

We would love to hear from candidates who have:

• Experience working with children or young people aged 5–16
• Experience within education, alternative provision, youth work, sports coaching, mentoring or behaviour support
• A genuine passion for supporting young people who may have experienced difficulties in mainstream education
• The ability to build positive relationships and gain the trust of challenging young people
• A calm, patient and resilient approach
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• A proactive and positive attitude
• A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle

Sports Coaches, Teaching Assistants, Learning Mentors, Cover Supervisors, Youth Workers and Behaviour Support Workers are all encouraged to apply.

Why Work with GSL Education?

At GSL Education, we pride ourselves on doing more than simply placing educators into schools.

Our experienced consultants have a wealth of knowledge across the education sector and a proven track record of matching candidates with schools and provisions where they can genuinely thrive.

From your initial application through to starting your new role, you will have dedicated support from an experienced consultant who will guide you through the entire process.

You can also benefit from:

• Excellent relationships with schools and Alternative Provisions across Hampshire
• Access to temporary, long‑term and permanent opportunities
• Dedicated consultant support throughout your placement
• Opportunities to develop your education career
• A straightforward and supportive registration process
• Competitive rates of pay
• The opportunity to secure a permanent position

Interested?

If you're looking for a role where no two days are the same and where you can make a genuine difference to young people's lives, we'd love to hear from you.

GSL Education – Matching educators with schools where they can make a difference.