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UWLSU APPLICATION PACKAcademic Caseworker

This pack contains: Welcome from the Deputy Chief Executive Guide to the students’ union What it’s like to work at UWLSU Job Description & Person Specification Application Process Application Form Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form

WELCOME FROM THE DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Hi,

We are so glad you want to be part of the UWLSU Army.

Our aim is to be the first excellent students’ union in a modern London university with a focus on retention and improving the student experience; and what better way to make that happen than by hiring as many students as possible.

We believe that students make us excellent, make this a great place to work and are most equipped to better the lives of other students.

The Academic caseworkers’ purpose is to provide advice to students on areas including, but not limited to, academic issues, and general sign posting. You will do this by having 121 and group advice appointments with students.

The union is a family and we are looking for people who are friendly with a can-do attitude who truly believe they can help improve the lives of students at UWL.

This pack will give you all the information you need on the role. If you have any question regarding your application please contact [email protected]

The deadline for application is 5pm on Thursday 1st October 2015.

We’re the West London Army!

Ben WhittakerDeputy Chief Executive

uwlsu.com | facebook.com/uwlstudentsunion | @uwl_su | 0208 231 2276

mailto:[email protected]

GUIDE TO THE STUDENTS’ UNIONUniversity of West London Students’ Union (UWLSU) provides support, activities, events and representation for over 14,000 students studying at University of West London.

How is UWLSU run?

UWLSU is a charity run by a group of student leaders who have been democratically elected by the student body. On a day to day basis we are run by 3 full time student officers; President, VP Education, and VP Activities & Participation who are supported by a dedicated and professional staff team.

What does UWLSU do?

We exist to improve the student experience and we do that through offering the following services:

Advice Service: We support students with academic issues through advice, information and advocacy.

Course reps & Campaigns: We help students affect change within their university and supports students in running campaigns for change.

Student Activities: We support students in running and participating in a range of extra-curricular activities such as sports clubs, religious groups, political and charity groups and societies.

Events: We run a range of events that help students network and socialise as well as support students who want to put on their own events.

Employment Opportunities: We believe that students are best placed to be the face of UWLSU and as such we provide a range of part-time employment opportunities in administration, reception, communications, events, representation, commercial services and student activities.

Commercial Services: We provide a range of services for students from Freddie’s bar, kitchen and coffee house to a space that hosts special events throughout the year.


WHAT IT’S LIKE TO WORK AT UWLSUAt UWLSU we offer flexible working that helps you maintain that important work/life balance.

Our support staff (that’s you) will get access to the UWLSU gym for free, and you’ll even get a 10% discount in our bar and cafe!

At UWLSU we offer competitive salaries and loads of opportunities for personal development, plus great holiday entitlement.

Across the year we take part in staff away days where we get time to socialise as a team and get creative with our strategic targets, you might even get your hands on some cool stash.

In a recent survey, 98% of our current staff said that they love working at UWLSU and would recommend this as a great place to work.

Our staff culture commitment:

“UWLSU people are driven to have a positive impact and are happiest working in a lively, social team towards shared goals. We like flexibility and responsibility and we encourage each other to improve through a coaching culture. We are rewarded by the opportunity to continuously develop our skills, knowledge, and experience.”

But don’t take our word for it, here is what a few staff members had to say about working at UWLSU:

“Working at the SU is an extremely rewarding experience and being able to help students from all over the University is a real pleasure and is most satisfying. It really can’t get better than this!”

“Being able to contribute towards a better University experience for the students makes me feel good- and in turn love my job that little bit more!”

“The SU is totally awesome and I actually love coming to work!”

“Our opinion is really valued and we are asked to put ideas forward to improve things”

“My development has gone up tenfold through informal training”

“I think it is a great place to work – especially as a first job. There is a lot to learn and get stuck into. I don’t think I would be able to get this experience anywhere else”


“The SU care about your life after university and my manager even put a recommendation on my LinkedIn because she knew it would mean a lot to me”

JOB DESCRIPTION

STUDENT ADVISOR

Accountable to: Representation Manager

Responsible for: Occasional support for student officers on specific projects

Hours of work: Full time – 35 hours per week

JOB PURPOSE

1. Responsible for providing 121 and group advice to students on areas including, but not limited to, academic issues, and general sign-posting

2. Contribute to the Representation Team’s strategic and operational planning3. Provide occasional support for student officers on specific projects relating to advice

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Responsible for providing 121 and group advice to students on areas including, but not limited to, academic issues, and general sign-posting

Undertake casework with students on a 121 and group basis which will involve contact with students face to face, over the telephone and via email

Asses individual cases and advise students on how they may best move forward, in light of legislation, relevant regulations, and University regulations

Where appropriate, act as an advocate of students in non-legal dealings primarily with the University, and on occasion with external parties – this will include official hearings held by the University

Plan tasks and prepare content that contribute to publicity campaigns, workshops, the website, and informational publications

Input information relating to advice work into relevant databases and documents, in line with the Union’s procedures

Liaise with University staff and other relevant external parties to share/seek information in relation to advice work and specific projects

2. Contribute to the Representation Team’s strategic and operational planning


Provide information relating to advice work for key reports and meetings as required by the Representation Manager

Contribute to strategic planning discussions by putting forward ideas for improvements to the Advice Service based on evidence

Contribute to operational planning by planning specific tasks and projects that contribute to the work of the Advice Service

Responsible for projects that contribute to the Advice Services’ objectives which may include running a survey, preparing secondary research information, and preparing information on either the University’s regulations or the regulations of an external body

3. Provide occasional support for student officers on specific projects relating to advice

Advise student officers on how to plan and undertake specific projects as delegated by the Representation Manager

Undertake specific elements of a project which may include arranging meetings, ordering materials, ordering publicity, finding specific information or statistics


PERSON SPECIFICATION

CRITERIA Requirement

QUALIFICATIONS

Good general education, typically to the Higher/A level equivalent

Essential

University/College Degree Desirable

EXPERIENCE

Previous experience in a democratically led organisation Desirable

Experience providing complex case based advice to individuals Essential

Experience working with University regulations or similar Essential

Experience working with databases Desirable

Experience representing individuals in a ‘hearing’ environment Essential

Demonstrable experience of working effectively on own initiative Essential

Experience of managing projects Desirable

Experience of volunteer management Desirable

KNOWLEDGE

Understanding of current issues and themes in higher education and student welfare

Essential

High level knowledge of best practise in providing individuals with advice

Essential

Basic knowledge of relevant legislation and regulation including:

Education Act Data protection Regulations from the OIA University academic regulations

Essential

ATTRIBUTES/SKILLS

Able to understand working with a complex external organisation Essential

Good coaching and mentoring skills Essential

Proven ability to problem solve – particularly in situations requiring the candidate to influence others

Essential


Self motivated and self reliant Essential

Skilled in utilising research and interpreting data Essential

IT competent with a working understanding of Microsoft Office Essential

Ability to formulate development ideas for services and processes

Essential

Exceptional Interpersonal and Communication Skills (Written and Oral)

Essential

Able to create and maintain strong working relationships. Essential

Able to overcome hurdles and problems in a constructive manner Essential

VALUES AND ETHICS

Desire to work within a democratic student led environment Essential

Understanding and commitment to equal opportunities Essential

Desire to work within organisation servicing a culturally diverse membership

Essential

Demonstrably high standards of personal integrity Essential


APPLICATION PROCESS

Key dates

The deadline to receive applications is 5pm on Thursday 1st October 2015.

Successful candidates will be invited to interview by 4pm on Friday 2nd October 2015.

Interviews will be held Tuesday 6th October – Thursday 8th October 2015.

All applications should be submitted to [email protected]

The interview day

The interview process will be as follows:

Unseen task related to communication (around 20 minutes) Face to Face interview (around 30 minutes) Opportunity to ask any questions you may have

Details of the tasks

Candidates will be given tasks to complete that are very similar to what will be done when on the job. The tasks are designed to test some aspects of the person specification and will be PC based.

Post Interview

Successful candidates will be contacted by Friday 9th October 2015.

Queries

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact [email protected] to arrange a time to speak over the phone.





APPLICATION FORM

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Name:

Address:

Email:

Mobile:

PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT

Name of most recent employer:

Address:

Position held:

Duration:

Summary of main duties:

SUPPORTING STATEMENT


Please use this section to tell us how you fulfill the criteria in the person specification and any experience you think is relevant to the role.


Disclosure of a Criminal Record/Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (to be completed by all applicants)

If the post you have applied for is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and requires a Standard or Enhanced Disclosure (as indicated on the job description), you must disclose all convictions (whether spent or unspent), cautions, reprimands and final warnings on your criminal record. (Please read the guidelines carefully)

If the post is subject to either a Standard or Enhanced Disclosure, you must answer the following question:

Have you ever been convicted by the courts or cautioned, reprimanded or given a final warning by the police? YES NO

If the post is subject to Enhanced Disclosure, you must also answer the following question:

Are you aware of any police enquiries undertaken following allegations made against you or do you have any pending prosecutions, which may have a bearing on your suitability for this post? YES NO

For all other posts: Do you have any unspent criminal convictions? YES NO

(If you answer yes to any of the above questions, please give details of offences, penalties and dates on a separate sheet (which should be signed and dated), enclose in a sealed envelope marked ‘Private & Confidential’ and attach to the form. Write your name, the post reference number and job title on the envelope.)

References

Please give names and addresses of TWO referees, not related to you, who are willing and able to provide up-to-date information on your qualifications, experience and skills. One of these must be your line manager from your current or most recent employment or if you have not been employed, a referee related to relevant voluntary or community work or, if


appropriate, your head teacher or lecturer/tutor from your last school or college or university.We reserve the right to contact your present/last employer if an offer is made and accepted. References may be taken up prior to interview, unless you have specifically requested otherwise in the section below.

Name 1. 2. 3.

Position

Working relationship(if any)

Address

Post Code: Tel No: Fax No: E-mail address: May we contactprior to interview? YES NO YES NO YES NO

I. Declaration I understand the Students’ Union reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment

or to terminate my employment with or without notice or payment in lieu in cases where: (a) it is discovered I do not have the claimed qualification or experience (b) I do not obtain, for whatever reasons, any appropriate examination or licence; (c) I become disbarred from the appropriate Regulatory Body or Authority.

I understand that an offer of appointment will be subject to references satisfactory to the Students’ Union.

I understand that, if the post is subject to Standard or Enhanced Disclosure, I must disclose details of any criminal record, including convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings and (for Enhanced Disclosure) any other information that may have a bearing on my suitability for the post.

I understand that providing false or misleading information will disqualify me from appointment or if appointed will render me liable to dismissal without notice.

I declare that the information I have given is, to the best of my knowledge, true and


complete. I agree that the information given may be used for registered purposes under the Data

Protection Act 1998.Has anyone else completed this form on your behalf YES NO

Signed (please insert electronic signature or leave blank):Date:

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES MONITORING FORMWe are committed to equal opportunities in our recruitment process and in order to find out how well we are doing with this we need to collect monitoring data. This form is not sent to the recruiting panel and has no part in the shortlisting process.

How did you find out about this post?

Where did you see this job advertised?

Your ethnic origin Asian, Asian British, Asian English, Asian Scottish, or Asian Welsh

Asian / Asian British

White British English


Bangladeshi Chinese Indian Pakistani Other Asian background (specify if you

wish):

Gypsy or Irish Traveller Irish Scottish Welsh Other White background (specify if you

wish): Black, Black British, Black English, Black Scottish, or Black Welsh

African Caribbean Other Black background (specify if you

wish):

Mixed White and Asian White and Black African White and Black Caribbean White and Chinese Other mixed background (specify if you

wish): Other ethnic group

Arab Other ethnic group (specify if you wish):

Prefer not to say

Your gender

Male Female Prefer not to say

Have you ever identified as transgender?Yes No Prefer not to say

Your age 16 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55 - 64 65+

Prefer not to say

Your sexual orientation

Bisexual

Gay man

Gay woman/lesbian

Heterosexual/straight

Other (specify if you wish):

Prefer not to say

Marriage and civil partnership

Single

Married/in a registered same-sex civil partnership


Separated, but still legally married/in a registered same-sex civil partnership

Divorced/formerly in a same-sex civil partnership which is now legally dissolved

Widowed/Surviving partner from a same-sex civil partnership

Prefer not to say

Your religion or belief No religion Buddhist Christian (including Church of England,

Catholic, Protestant and all other Christian denominations)

Hindu

Jewish Muslim Sikh Other (specify if you wish): Prefer not to say

DisabilityThe Equality Act 2010 defines a disabled person as anyone who has or has had a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. Taking this definition into consideration, do you consider you have a disability? : YES NO

If you have a disability and have demonstrated in your application that you meet the minimum (essential) criteria for the vacancy you can request a guaranteed interview. Do you wish to claim an interview under the 2 tick’s scheme?

YES NO

Please describe any special requirements/reasonable adjustments which will help you participate in an interview or to carry out this post if appointed:


Documents

jobsinadvice.org.ukjobsinadvice.org.uk/uploadsdoc/Academic Caseworker... · Web viewBut don’t take our word for it, here is what a few staff members had to say about working at