Roots and Shoots is run by a small diverse team who bring their enormous passion and expertise to our vibrant community. The team consists of a professional, friendly and creative group of people from all backgrounds, who all put our students and the environment first. We value people highly, with a focus on equality of opportunity for all.
Learning Support Assistant
Reporting to Tutor and Head of Education
Job Type: Permanent Role, Part time (3 or 4 days a week, subject to timetabling). Term time only - 40 weeks per year
Hours: 21 hours per week total, 7 Hours per day. 09:00 am - 17:00 pm, 1 hour unpaid lunch per day. Flexible arrangements may be made if covering lunch supervision.
Location: No working from home, must be on site every day.
Hourly rate: £16.50 per hour
Roots and Shoots is an independent, award-winning educational and environmental charity based in Kennington, South London. From a derelict site in 1982, it has grown to become a well-established and respected vocational training organisation with biodiverse wildlife gardens, offering a safe haven for both people and nature to flourish.
This is a challenging but rewarding role, supporting disadvantaged young people within a busy educational environment. You will be working directly with our students, helping them to achieve their full potential.
This is a highly varied role that requires quick thinking, strong verbal and written communication skills and good technical literacy. Being familiar with working via the Google Workspace suite of productivity tools (Gmail, Google Sheets, Google Docs etc.) is beneficial to the role.
Job Description - Learning Support Assistant for young people with Autism and SEN
Roots and Shoots is a specialist training provider for young people with barriers to learning and work. This is a student facing role on and offsite.
Learning Support Assistants make up the core team involved in delivering high quality support and learning in the classroom setting. This role has been allocated due to a student’s higher needs, normally communication and/or health reasons.
Everyday tasks include:
To work alongside Tutors with an understanding of student needs, targets, progress and ongoing activities
To support the learning of the student. This may be hands off by allowing the student the freedom to try activities with the possibility of making mistakes. At other times you may become more involved by:
Repeating instructions given by tutor
Providing feedback on student’s progress
Modelling how to do something
Verbal or non-verbal encouragement
Verbal or non-verbal praise
To monitor and support the overall progress and development of students and relay this back to Tutors
To facilitate and encourage a learning experience which provides students with the opportunity to achieve their individual potential.
Facilitating student attendance tracking
Break supervision
Job descriptions cannot be exhaustive and the post holder may be required to undertake other duties, which are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.
Person Specification:
Essential
Enhanced DBS checks
Experience working with young people with ASD/SEN
A genuine interest developing young people
Excellent communication skills, including verbal and written English
Good observation skills and using this to direct progress
Experience working with people from different backgrounds
The ability to motivate and encourage young people
The ability to relate to people at all levels, or be flexible to this need
A methodical approach to work
English and Maths qualifications. GCSE level at minimum.
Desirable
Experience and skills in non-verbal communication
Experience working with images for learning
Safeguarding Statement
Roots and Shoots is committed to the safeguarding of its learners, staff and visitors.
Safeguarding is a priority with arrangements in place to ensure learners feel, and are safe on college premises and during off site activities.
Roots and Shoots ensures safeguarding legislation and guidance are adhered to and taken into account when developing and revisiting policies, procedures and associated arrangements.
Roots and Shoots provides a safe physical environment for its learners and staff, ensuring that premises are of a good standard. Health & Safety arrangements are in place to ensure adherence to current legislation and guidance.
Applicants will be subject to recruitment and selection procedures designed to emphasise Roots and Shoots commitment to the safeguarding of its learners and staff. The procedures include questioning at interview stage, verification of appropriate qualification, acquiring references, and necessary safety checks.
Roots and Shoots has a designated Safeguarding Lead responsible for learner protection, supporting staff in carrying out their safeguarding duties, and working closely with other services.
Roots and Shoots has policies and procedures in place to deal effectively with learner protection and safeguarding issues together with recording and monitoring processes.
It is a condition of employment that all staff are trained to a level appropriate to their safeguarding responsibilities.
Roots and Shoots commitment to safeguarding is paramount to the success of learners.
Trustees, senior management team and the “Safeguarding Working Group” will continue to keep abreast of developments in this area and implement arrangements to continually improve the safety and awareness of its learners, staff and volunteers.
Contacts us with CV to apply - office@rootsandshoots.org.uk
Careers Coach
Reporting to Careers Lead
Job Type: Permanent Role, Part time (3 days). Term time only - 40 weeks per year
Hours: 21 hours per week total, 7 Hours per day. 09:00 am - 17:00 pm, 1 hour unpaid lunch per day
Location: No working from home, must be on site every day. Travelling to work placement locations will be necessary.
Annual Salary: £16,791.60
Hourly rate: £19.99 per hour
Roots and Shoots is an independent, award-winning educational and environmental charity based in Kennington, South London. From a derelict site in 1982, it has grown to become a well-established and respected vocational training organisation with biodiverse wildlife gardens, offering a safe haven for both people and nature to flourish.
This is a challenging but rewarding role, supporting disadvantaged young people within a busy Careers Team office. You will be working directly with our students, helping them to kickstart their careers and achieve their full potential. You will also be a main point of contact between Roots and Shoots, the student and current or potential work placements; making sure that everyone plays their part in providing the best possible outcome for our students.
This is a highly varied role that requires quick thinking, strong verbal and written communication skills and good technical literacy. Being familiar with working via the Google Workspace suite of productivity tools (Gmail, Google Sheets, Google Docs etc.) is beneficial but not essential if already familiar with Microsoft equivalents.
Main Duties:
Helping Students and Pre-Supported Interns achieve their personal and professional goals.
Goals may include improved life and work skills, independence or employment.
Supporting weekly Careers Coaching sessions for students.
Matching students with onsite and offsite work placements, providing student and employer support to maximise the learning from every opportunity.
Working alongside the Careers Manager and wider team to organise, monitor and track all areas of work related learning.
This includes adhering to health and safety and target based outcomes.
Tracking work placements daily to ensure attendance and punctuality are monitored.
Maintaining open communication channels with the employer, the student and parents/carers through weekly phone check-ins, meetings and emails.
Providing onsite work placement support and training for students.
Supporting the development of our employer database.
Tasks Include:
Monitoring and supporting the progress of all students attending work placements.
Maintaining good communication with employers.
Completing contracts, due diligence checks and feedback forms to support student and employer engagement.
Organising external professional training for students.
Providing hands on Careers Coaching for young people in work.
Attend staff meetings and work in a collaborative way.
Person Specification
Essential
2+ years experience of working with young people with SEN within a school, college or alternative provision setting.
2+ years experience of providing training for young people with SEN.
1+ years experience of working towards monitored outcomes.
Excellent written and spoken English.
The ability to motivate and encourage young people and bring a positive, dynamic attitude to the careers team.
Excellent relationship building skills.
A methodical approach to work.
Accurate report writing and record keeping skills.
Desirable
A recognised IAG qualification.
Familiarity with working via the Google Workspace suite of productivity tools (Gmail, Google Sheets, Google Docs etc.) is beneficial but not essential if already familiar with Microsoft equivalents.
Job descriptions cannot be exhaustive and the post holder may be required to undertake other duties, which are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.
Safeguarding Statement
Roots and Shoots is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Roots and Shoots values individual’s right to privacy and takes several steps to ensure applicants are clear of how their data will be received, processed, stored and deleted.
Due to the nature of working with children and vulnerable young adults, a sequence of checks will be made against all shortlisted candidates who will be made aware of this in the Job Description and application process.
DBS checks
Safer Recruitment Application
Staff Disqualification Declaration
Online presence search
Being monitored at work: workers' rights: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)