Student Success Coach

The post holder may be required to work at any location of the College now or in the future in the evening and at weekends. To provide pastoral and welfare support for a designated cohort of learners in a specific curriculum area. This includes monitoring attendance and intervening in cases where attendance is at risk of falling below minimum expected targets.

As a key member of the curriculum team, you will provide front line and early help support for learners facing a wide range of barriers to education. These barriers may include absences, home issues, mental health challenges, crises, or the need for critical support. You will be expected to assess the level of need and either remove barriers or refer to the safeguarding and welfare team for more intensive support.

Responsibilities also involve identifying and monitoring vulnerable and 'at risk' learners within your caseload. You will work closely with cross-college teams to ensure that these learners are retained by the college, maintaining detailed records of your interventions and support provided.

You will serve as the single point of contact for learners, parents, and staff, ensuring effective communication and support for all parties involved.

Key Responsibilities

• To provide Early Help support for learners as soon as issues arise. This includes assistance with safeguarding, pastoral care, social and welfare needs, wellbeing, and health care, all aimed at identifying and removing barriers to accessing education.
• Where you identify a learner with a significant vulnerability or barrier to learning refer the learner to the safeguarding team for SWM (Safeguarding and Welfare Mentor) support.
• Implement the positive behaviour policy for learners within your caseload.
• Implement the attendance policy for learners within your caseload.
• Undertake three 1:1 meetings per academic year with your caseload of learners to review their progress towards exceeding their MEA (Minimum Expected Attendance) and MEG (Minimum Expected Grade).
• Document 1:1 meeting using the college ILP system.
• Set milestone targets at each 1:1 to support learners exceed their MEA if required. Document milestone targets using the college ILP system.
• Review and document progress for all targets linked to the MEA.
• Document, using the college ILP system, meetings, or conversations with a learner's NOK.
• Be the designated point of contact for parents and carers, fostering and maintaining positive, supportive relationships to help learners and families overcome barriers to education.
• Ensure that all contact details for parents and carers are kept up to date in the college systems.
• To work closely with curriculum teams to support at risk and vulnerable learners by attending Support planning meetings, Student improvement meetings, and Formal hearings where relevant.
• Support the implementation of the colleges Mental Health Strategy by serving as the first point of contact for learners experiencing poor mental health.
• Promote the vision of becoming a mentally healthy college by referring learners to appropriate internal and external services.
• To promote and safeguard the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults at the college and refer/signpost to external agencies where appropriate.
• Developing a positive and supportive connection with learners, create an atmosphere of trust and support, prioritising the safeguarding and wellbeing of all students.
• Assist in the Enrolment process by capturing learner wellbeing and welfare information, ensuring that accurate parent contact details are recorded.
• Identify any concerns, issues, or barriers that students might face to ensure they receive the appropriate support once they start college.
• Refer any risk concerns to managers as needed.
• Support in College induction program to ensure learners are informed of where to seek help and what support is available and know how to keep themselves safe.
• Maintain accurate records of interventions, ensuring learners vulnerabilities and support needs are recorded and highlighted.
• To undertake training and CPD as required for the role, including a minimum of one Safeguarding Board Training session per year, to keep up to date with local procedures and emerging themes.
• Any other duties, of a similar level of responsibility, as may be required.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Qualifications

• Essential Criteria
• Level 2 or GCSE 4 or above in English and Maths.
• Educated to Level 3/A Level or above (evidence of ongoing industry CPD considered).
• Full UK driving Licence and access to a vehicle.
• Mental Health First Aid qualification or willingness to undertake training.
• Desirable Criteria
• Teaching qualification e.g. Level 3 Cert of Education and Training (PTLLS).
• First Aid qualification or willingness to obtain.

Experience

• Essential Criteria
• Experience of working with 16-18 year-old learners in an education setting.
• Experience of supporting learners and families with safeguarding issues inc. CIN, LAC, EHA.
• Experience of dealing with behaviour management / challenging learner behaviour.
• Experience and understanding of attendance management.
• Experience of working with cross college teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience of working with young people in a pastoral and wellbeing setting.
• Experience of dealing with safeguarding and mental health concerns.
• To have empathy with young people, approachable but with the confidence to assert authority when required.
• Experience of effective team working and promoting relationships between staff, students and the community.
• Experience of working under pressure, including handling difficult situations on your own and de-escalating them.
• Experience of working with outside agencies such as safeguarding professionals, schools, social workers, Youth Justice Team, Positive Steps, Parents and Key Workers.
• Desirable Criteria
• Experience of the Education Inspection framework.
• Experience of the Prevent Strategy.

Specialist Knowledge

• Essential Criteria
• Good working knowledge of safeguarding and child protection, Child in need and Early help Processes.
• Specific knowledge and understanding of the issues faced by young people that impact on their wellbeing, safety, and mental health.
• Understanding a Trauma-informed approach.
• Good understanding of mental health issues and how they impact on learners.
• Committed to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.
• Able to interact positively with young people and adults.
• Committed to the principles of equality and diversity.
• Ability to communicate, negotiate and work effectively with internal and external partners.
• Ability to work unsupervised and manage own time and priorities; be well organized and self-motivated.
• To have flexibility and willing to try out new ideas.
• Ability to keep and evaluate records and statistical data.

IT Skills

• Essential Criteria
• Good working knowledge of IT and digital safeguarding systems.
• Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office Programs.
• Understanding of college systems.
• Desirable Criteria
• Knowledge of an ILP system.

About Hopwood Hall

We are a Further Education College and University Centre offering a range of full and part time courses employing over 600 staff on our campuses in Rochdale and Middleton situated to the north-east of Manchester. We are committed to being a great place to work and have membership status of the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter. We are a Living Wage employer and an accredited Disability Confident Employer. Our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion statement is designed to ensure that unfair discrimination does not take place in any part of our recruitment process. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all learners and colleagues and we expect all colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment. The college complies with Safer Recruitment guidance in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education and all successful applicants are required to undertake a DBS check and other pre-recruitment checks in line with our Safer Recruitment policy. It is an offence to apply for a regulated role at the College if you are barred from working with children (or vulnerable adults if in a role where this applies). This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and exemption orders 1975, 2013 and 2020.