Disability Practitioner

Salary: £33,966 to £36,024 with progression to £44,263 per annum (pro rata)

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 10 June 2024

The Role

To play a key role in contributing to a professional, specialist advice and guidance service to disabled students, including long-term health, autism spectrum conditions and mental health
vulnerabilities.

To play a key role in working creatively with disabled students and students with long-term mental health and other co-occurring conditions to remove barriers to attainment and
facilitate access to living, learning, teaching, assessment and further support. To raise awareness of and promote a positive, respectful and inclusive university culture, which
enables a positive student experience with, access, progress and retention support for disabled students.

To work operationally with colleagues and key stake holders to meet strategic outcomes and ensure inclusivity for disabled students and compliance with relevant legislation.

For more information, please contact Sandy Alden, Disability Team Manager at

A DBS check will be required for this role.

This role is part time 0.5 FTE.

Key Accountabilities

• To act as a central point of contact for future and current disabled students, including long-term mental health conditions
• To provide advice and information to students and key stake holders, on the provision of support services and facilities within and external to the University
• Manage a varied, complex and sensitive caseload of future and current disabled students, including those with long-term mental health conditions, who want to access disability
• support, often working with them over a long period of time
• Identify and respond to risk, and to refer appropriately to internal and or external services
• Apply knowledge and understanding of the additional mental health vulnerabilities of those from minority or marginalised backgrounds and the experience and action needed to support them effectively
• With equal efficacy offer a blend of individual present-in-person and digital meetings to identify relevant support and adjustments options, facilitate any ensuing communication with academic schools and other key stakeholders to resolve barriers to reasonable adjustment and support needs
• Provide advice, guidance and information, including advice on Disabled Students Allowances
• Undertake assessments of student needs and deliver one to one or small group interventions to help students develop effective strategies that support healthy behaviours, and positive engagement with study
• Proactively liaise with colleagues within the Examinations Office to implement additional examination arrangements for disabled students
• When directed plan, coordinate and participate in staff development activities
• To facilitate improvements in provision for disabled students, by holding a knowledge lead responsibility, in a wide range of settings by keeping abreast of issues affecting disabled students and participation within a variety of working groups
• To complete and maintain record keeping in a timely fashion, adhering to the Service policy and data protection requirements
• Contribute to the evaluation of the impact of support provided to students
• As identified by and with support of line manager undertake regular personal training and continuing professional development in order to remain updated with the knowledge of legislation and relevant research in disability related issues.
• To keep abreast of internal and external developments that may impact upon support for disabled students. This includes, but is not exclusive to, government strategy, and sector best practice initiatives
• Adhere to and comply with the provisions of the Data Protection Laws along with the University's Data Protection Policies
• To act as a consultant, and at times trainer, to university staff to provide support as they work with disabled students and students with long-term mental health conditions and vulnerabilities
• To liaise with both external bodies and internal colleagues to assist in providing adequate support for disabled students, including long-term mental health conditions and vulnerabilities. Refer and track referrals to other agencies as appropriate, to ensure students do not "slip through the net".
• To participate in promotion of the Student Health and Wellbeing activity, open days, receptions, Welcome Week which, from time to time, may require working out-of-hour i.e. evenings and weekends (only very occasional)

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Knowledge of and familiarity with the application of relevant legislation and the implications of this in an HE setting

• Understanding of the effects of a range of mental health difficulties, and disabilities on individuals, family, friends, staff and potential impact on student University experience

• Experience of working with adults from a diverse background, with mental or physical health disabilities, preferably in a higher education setting

• Understanding of the effects of a range of mental health difficulties, and disabilities on individuals, family, friends, staff and potential impact on student University experience

• Experience and/or training in the application of cross cultural mental health support

• Capacity to deal with a highly sensitive caseload and work collaboratively with others to create effective performance within a team

• Be able to evidence strong commitment to the principles of inclusivity, diversity and equal opportunities

• Ability to interpret and apply knowledge of policies and procedures

• Evidenced based advice and guidance skills

• A highly flexible working style

• Strong attention to detail

• Excellent communications skills

• Ability to exercise initiative and judgement in the appropriate management of student support and the ability to work independently

• Highly competent IT skills: Word, Excel, Email, Internet, Databases

• Ability to manage time and resources effectively by prioritising and organising a high volume, complex and varied workload

• Management of own caseload

• Experience of working with groups

• Presentation and/or training skills and experience, delivering to a diverse audience

Attributes and Behaviour

• Takes the initiative to ensure future success of the University and area by presenting new ideas and approaches

• Accepts the reality and requirements of change as part of achieving organisational goals

• Is supportive of others during change

• Anticipates change and prepares for it. Accepts change and 'runs' with it

• Establishes effective management control systems

• Effective at organising and managing complex workload

• Uses own and others' time effectively

• Plans workload and tasks in a systematic way

• Sets own priorities in conjunction with University, team and area objectives

• Considers large amounts of complex information quickly and identifies key issues

• Recognises urgency and takes decisive action when required

• Confidently deals with a broad range of information

Qualifications

• A recognised degree or equivalent qualification and/or experience

• A relevant professional Qualification such as Advice and Guidance, Registered Nurse Mental Health/ Social Worker/ Occupational Therapist, or Autism practice etc

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.

Requisition ID: 27121