Job opportunity: Inspired@Birmingham Mentor

The Inspired@Birmingham Team are currently recruiting undergraduate students to become mentors to Year 12 students in local secondary schools and colleges. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to support the next generation of university students whilst also developing a whole range of useful skills for your cv!

As an Inspired mentor you would engage in online mentoring from March – December 2024 with between 3-6 students, providing support through Year 12/13 and the university application process. The mentoring will run through Brightside, which is a secure mentoring platform where one-to-one conversations between mentors and mentees can be moderated by the Inspired Team. The expectation is that mentors will spend 2.5 hours per month responding to queries on Brightside and engaging with their mentees. This work can usually be completed in your own time around your other commitments.

Mentors will also be required to work our in-person event days throughout the year and will receive additional payment for this. The dates of the event days are:

  • Wednesday 27th March 2024
  • Friday 31st May 2024
  • Saturday 29th June 2024

In addition mentors must be available to attend a compulsory training session on Wednesday 6th March 2024.

Background of Inspired@Birmingham

To learn more about Inspired@Birmingham and its associated benefits for students please visit our website and look at the attached job description.

What’s in it for you?

  • You will receive payment for each in person event attended as well as an extra two and a half hours per month for online mentoring via Brightside
  • Feel good factor! This is a rewarding role where you will make a difference to young people’s lives and the local community
  • Develop a huge range of skills for your CV
  • Gain valuable work experience 
  • Receive comprehensive training
  • Gain recognition for participation via The Birmingham Award – a great way of showcasing your experience to future employers.

 

Successful candidates will need to successfully complete our training (date above) and undertake an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before they can start working (DBS will be paid for by the university). Candidates must also register with Worklink, proving eligibility to work before they can start in this role.

How to apply?

Please note, we will be recruiting the new cohort of Inspired@Birmingham students soon, and this will indicate how many mentors we will require. This means that until we have our full cohort of students on programme, we won’t know how many mentors we will need.

However, if you would like to be considered for this role please complete the online form including any experience you currently have. The deadline to apply is 5pm Tuesday 6th February. 

Please note this opportunity is only available to students who are not in their final year of study. 

 

Job Description

1       Purpose of the Post

Inspired@Birmingham (I@B) is a Pathways to Birmingham (P2B) programme which aims to support young people from under represented backgrounds to access university and professional careers. Students who take part in Inspired@Birmingham will be invited to attend workshops on campus and will undertake a range of activities aimed at providing them with a deeper insight into studying non-vocational courses at university and the related career pathways that these can lead to.

Outreach I@B Mentors will offer regular support for between three - six widening participation mentees in year 12 who are on the I@B programme. The Outreach I@B Mentor will be expected to provide consistent and constructive advice and support the journey of mentees to their chosen course at University.

The Outreach I@B Mentor will aim to pass on their knowledge, skills and understanding of what is required to gain entry into higher education. The Outreach I@B Mentor will be expected to raise the aspirations of mentees and support them to remove barriers to their own learning. The Outreach I@B Mentor will also need to be able to signpost other services and information to support their mentees. 

Applicants for this role will be required to attend an interview and a training session before they can become an Outreach I@B Mentor. Outreach I@B Mentors are also required to undergo a (free of charge) enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

This is a fantastic developmental opportunity for students and we expect mentors to acquire and develop a wide number of employability skills through taking on this role. The Outreach Office will provide comprehensive training for this role as well as enable you to gain recognition for this experience via the The Birmingham Award. Mentors will receive support and supervision from Laura Taylor and Eleanor Hinds in the University Outreach Office who have responsibility for the scheme and are available for guidance, support and advice as needed.

2       Main Duties and Responsibilities

  • To attend, provide support to the outreach staff, and professionally interact with the mentees you are assigned at the I@B launch event on on Wednesday 27th March 2024, the second event day Friday 31st May 2024 and the final event on Saturday 29th June 2024. All event days will take place on campus.
  • To discuss and work through topics and activities with your assigned mentees via the online mentoring platform. This work is flexible and can be done at times convenient to you. Mentors are expected to access Brightside (mentoring platform) and provide mentoring support for approximately 2.5 hours per month although this can vary depending on learner needs and requirements.
  • To send and respond to messages from mentees in a professional and timely manner.
  • To respond to emails from the I@B Team in a professional and timely manner.
  • To empathise with mentees and seek support should a situation arise where you feel your own knowledge and skills are not enough.
  • To build a professional rapport with mentees, allowing a professional relationship to develop.
  • To act as a role model and ambassador for Higher Education.
  • To contribute to raising the confidence, self-esteem and aspirations of mentees.
  • To commit to the full term of the programme (March 2024-December 2024 inclusive, plus attendance at a training session on Wednesday 6th March).
  • To undertake any other duties, commensurate with the nature and grading of the post, that may be required.

3          Supervisory Responsibility

  • None

4          Supervision Received

  • This post holder is responsible to Jules Singh (Senior Outreach Officer) and Hannah Cox (Outreach Officer)

5          Contacts

  • University staff and mentees (young people in schools and colleges)

6          Other Requirements (including any special items)

  • The above duties may be altered to suit the future needs of the programme.
  • All mentors will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check and must understand that some previous criminal activity may prevent them taking part in the scheme.

7          Benefits for Outreach I@B Mentors

  • You will gain and develop a range of transferable skills and be given the opportunity to engage with the The Birmingham Award
  • You will have additional experience to draw on when applying for jobs
  • You will receive comprehensive training for this role
  • You can work flexibly around your studies
  • You will gain the satisfaction of taking part in a scheme which makes a positive impact on the students taking part.

Applications for the role will close on Tuesday 6th February 2024 @ 5pm.

Please use the following link to apply: https://forms.office.com/e/sLe8HqU8VA

Colleges

Professional Services