New College Worcester is a residential school and college for children and young people aged 11 to 19 who are blind or vision impaired. Every student at NCW has a tailored programme, carefully planned and delivered to meet need according to their own EHCP in three key areas: academic achievement, independent living skills and involvement in extracurricular activities at the College and in the community.

The Independent Person is an important and rewarding role supporting students to advocate and providing an independent channel for students to discuss personal problems, concerns, or issues within the college environment.

Purpose of the role:

The Independent Person is an important and rewarding role supporting students to advocate and providing an independent channel for students to discuss personal problems, concerns, or issues within the college environment.

 

Responsibilities:

 

• Availability and Accessibility:

Be accessible to students, responding as soon as practically possible via the students preferred method of communication.
Ensure that students are informed about how to contact the Independent Person and are comfortable reaching out when needed.
Maintain a visible and approachable presence within the college environment, making regular visits at least once a month.

• Support and Communication:

Foster an environment where students feel safe, respected, and confident in discussing any concerns they may have.

Communicate effectively with students, ensuring that they feel heard and supported.

Offer support and guidance on personal problems, safeguarding concerns, or any other issues the students may face.

• Monitoring and Awareness:

Build positive, trusting relationships with the students across NCW.

Be observant and sensitive to signs of distress, including safeguarding concerns, and take appropriate action when necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of the students.

Maintain clear and professional boundaries while ensuring students feel safe and understood.

• Skills and Qualifications:

Possess the necessary interpersonal and communication skills to interact with students of various ages and backgrounds.

Have a good understanding of safeguarding practices, recognising indicators of poor care, and the ability to respond appropriately.

Stay informed about best practices for providing support to students, ensuring the role adapts to meet their evolving needs.

• Adaptability:

Recognise that different students may require different forms of support, and be prepared to make adjustments, including collaborating with other independent persons, as needed, to meet each student’s unique needs.

 

Equal Opportunities Statement

New College Worcester (NCW) is committed to becoming an equal opportunities organisation.  It is committed to promoting equal opportunities and preventing discrimination.  This policy applies both to service delivery and to its own employment practices.  You will be willing and able to demonstrate commitment to NCW’s Equal Opportunities Policy.

 

Safeguarding Children

NCW is fully committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of students at the College.  You are responsible for adhering to the College’s policies on Child Protection and for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people you come into contact with.

 

• Reporting and Supervision:

• While the Independent Person operates independently of the college staff, they should report to the designated safeguarding lead or senior leadership as necessary, particularly when safeguarding concerns arise.
• The Independent Person may also provide feedback to the college to help improve overall student support systems.
• The person in post will be supported with training around safeguarding and expectations around reporting incidents to the safeguarding team.

 

Annual Review

This job description will be reviewed annually and may be subject to amendment or modification at any time after consultation with the post holder.  It is not a comprehensive statement of procedures and tasks but sets out the main expectations of NCW in relation to the post holder’s professional responsibilities and duties.

 

This document is to be read in the context of the NCW Statement of Purpose, NCW Equal Opportunities Statement, and agreed policies of NCW.

 

 

PLEASE NOTE

This appointment is a Regulated Activity, and is subject to two satisfactory and verified references, an Enhanced DBS Clearance and Registration, a medical clearance and a six-month probationary period.

 

PERSON SPECIFICATION

 

The successful candidate will meet the following person specification. Please note that the listed criteria will form the basis of the selection process. Applicants should address all elements of the Person Specification, demonstrating experience and where appropriate citing supporting examples.

 

	ESSENTIAL	DESIRABLE
Experience	A compassionate and empathetic individual who values confidentiality and trust.	Experience or training in student communication, safeguarding, or relevant social services is highly desirable.
Skills, Knowledge and Understanding	Ability to recognise when a student may be experiencing difficulty and provide appropriate support.
Personal Qualities	Excellent communication skills, listening and empathy

 

 

 

 

• Please view the NCW Safeguarding Statement document
• Please view the JD Independent person document