Psychology Graduate - School Support Worker

Job description

Have you studied or are studying Psychology and are looking to gain professional experience?

Teaching Personnel Hampshire SEN branch are looking for Support Workers to work with students with challenging behaviours.

The Role
The role takes place within a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) which is a specialised unit for students who have been excluded from mainstream school, and require an adapted curriculum to better suit their needs. In a PRU setting, students study core subjects with an aim to pass their GCSE's, however their other classes are based around vocational work and activities, designed to develop their social and emotional maturity, learn how to interact and give them key life skills.

This role can be extremely challenging but incredibly rewarding, as you can act as a source of support in the lives of young people who may be disadvantaged and vulnerable.

Your Responsibilities

As a Support Worker within a PRU, the main responsibility of your role is supporting students who have Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs (SEMH), whilst they are studying the curriculum. Your attention is to ensure their focus and engagement in class, to motivate their best efforts towards their education. However with their SEMH needs, difficult and challenging behaviour is to be expected, in which case, a candidate who has a calming but firm personality, is able to communicate on an authoritative level respectfully and is patient in trying to understand student behaviour would be ideal for this role.
As well as managing their behaviour, you can expect to advise them on how to work through certain problems and issues or help them to communicate their issues in another way other than misbehaving. You will be acting as a role model and guide which they may not have access to in other areas of life.

Ideally, if you have experience in Key work, Youth work, SEMH or counselling, or have studied Psychology, this can be applied to the role. Qualifications in Behaviour Management and de-escalation such as Team-Teach are beneficial, however Teaching Personnel can provide the opportunity to train through our CPD Academy.

If you think working with vulnerable young people is where your talents lie, please send your CV.