Job Coach

Position: Job Coach/Tutor

Location: Reading

Salary: £29,963 - £32,982

Type: Permanent

The Role
Are you passionate about helping young people with learning difficulties or disabilities move into meaningful employment? Join us as a Job Coach and make a lasting impact through one of the UK's leading Supported Internship programmes.

As a Job Coach, you’ll be part of a dynamic and supportive team delivering tailored support to interns placed in real work environments. You'll coach and mentor young adults aged 16–24 with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities), helping them thrive in the workplace and build the skills they need for independent employment.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• To support interns on Supported Internships to progress in their work placements and make successful transitions into paid employment. To provide training and support for business partners and families, to ensure success during the workplace placements and to seek out job opportunities both within and outside of the host employers

• Provide individualised support for interns at their work placement or employment. This will include job coaching, mentoring, identifying job placements, identifying any need for assistive technology, etc.

• Utilise a variety of support methods and resources appropriate to the needs of the interns

• Develop professional relationships with parents/ carers to support interns to complete their placements

• Work with work placement managers and employees to provide training around disability awareness

• Help to create a safe and welcoming learning environment, ensuring that the services delivered to interns are effective and safe

• Develop a clear understanding of the nature of each interns learning difficulties and or social/emotional needs and take steps to address these needs

• Meet regularly with placement managers and mentors to discuss the intern’s strengths and challenges, any issues, progress, identify new potential placement opportunities and source employment vacancies etc

• Participate in decision making processes to identify and implement training strategies within employer placements

• Adhere to and promote the standards of the host business with the interns in order to promote job productivity and efficiency

• Recognise and act on any issues concerning the safety and welfare of the interns

• Provide training to interns in the areas such personal hygiene, communication skills, interviewing skills and appropriate behaviour in the workplace

• Plan events such as induction, information nights/open days and graduation celebrations

• Communicate with other job coaches/tutors, employers, family members and agency partners including the local authority and SEND Advisers

• Accurately complete all required job coaching paperwork

• Apply for Access to Work funding on behalf of the interns

• Provide basic information about benefits, work related expenses etc

• Be knowledgeable about current labour market trends, employment opportunities and initiatives in education

• Work with other team members to provide internal and external marketing materials such as newsletter articles, website information, community presentations, social media updates

Skills & Experience
o Willingness to complete Level 3 Supported Employment qualification

o Experience supporting individuals with SEND into employment

o Strong interpersonal, organisational, and communication skills

o Confident in using IT tools and managing caseloads

o A proactive, flexible and person-centred approach

o Understanding of safeguarding and willingness to undertake an Enhanced DBS check