Location: Nationwide
Contract Type: Freelancer, self-employed

We are looking for experienced Specialist Support Professionals to join our education team on a freelance basis, to provide support to students that are visually impaired. This is a highly rewarding opportunity, giving students the support they need to reach their full potential and making a meaningful difference to their lives.

Job Description:

To provide support to students in higher or further education who are visually impaired.

This support is bespoke support for the individual needs of students with a sensory impairment which reflects their method of communication, educational history, and experience. Support may include breaking down assignment briefs and English concepts, developing research and composition strategies, working on the structure and mode of presentations, organisation, time management, communication, etc., which should facilitate strategies for independent learning. This support is not subject specialist support but support to enable access to the course. The SSP may also, where appropriate and with the student’s permission, provide advice to the HEP’s disability officers and teaching staff on the adjustments that could be made to create an inclusive learning environment for the student.

In addition to the overview above, the SSP role for visually impaired students uses appropriate communication strategies to enable access to and understanding of the course, to support access to research sources and to support preparation for assignments. The support provided by the SSP is bespoke to individual student’s specific vision impairment. The student should be supported to develop strategies to overcome barriers to learning.

Mandatory Qualifications/Training:

A vision-related postgraduate qualification is required, for example:

• Inclusive Education (Visually Impaired Learners) (PgDip)
• PG/Dip Teaching Learners with a Visual Impairment (QTVI)
• PGDip/MA Education of Children and Young People with Vision Impairments
• PG/DIP Teaching and Supporting Learners with Visual Impairments in Further Education

OR

Any Postgraduate qualification e.g. AFHE, FHEA, PGDip, PGDE, PGCE, MA, MSc, PhD etc.

PLUS a vision-related specialist qualification. For example, Specialist Qualification in Habilitation and Disabilities of Sight (Children and Young People) Grad Dip