Job Description- TAP Job CoachReporting to: TAP Coordinator

Main Purpose: To support students, mentors and host employers on The Autism Project (TAP) and to assist the Tutor/s on class days. To help students develop the skills to become work ready, to travel independently and when appropriate to apply for jobs.

Line Management: N/A

You will work with: TAP Lead, TAP Tutor, Functional Skills Tutor, TAP Coordinator, Counsellor, Students, host employers and potential employers/work experience providers, Parent, Carers, Local Authorities and other CareTrade staff.

CareTrade’s Vision is: Everyone with autism can lead a purposeful life.Our Mission is: To create new opportunities for people with autism and to change perceptions.Background: CareTrade was founded by Katharine Dore OBE and Karen Edwards, parents of young people with autism and vice presidents of Ambitious about Autism. The staff team is highly experienced in supporting adults with autism into the work place.

At CareTrade we do things differently. The main focus of CareTrade’s current work is to enable young Londoners with autism to transition successfully from the classroom to employment and to equip them to lead more independent lives. The majority of all learning happens in real environments and hence building strong and supportive partnerships with employers is a key component of our work. In our first 5 years we have developed four leading employment focused projects (The Autism Project, Employment Opportunities, Access to Work and Weekend Café Project at the School House Cafe). We continue to develop new and exciting projects.

Our ambition is to enable all young Londoners that want to work to be in work.

About The Autism Project:

The Autism Project (TAP) is a full-time, two-year, employability programme for young people on the autistic spectrum, aged 18-25.In August 2016, The Autism Project was added to the Secretary of States Section 41 list of approved providers. The Autism Project curriculum is based on: the experience of running our one-year TAP supported internship programme (for 6 years) and our very successful follow-on project, Employment Opportunities; and the feedback following a recent consultation with students and parents, both past and present. Our aim is to make the journey towards and into employment more seamless and flexible in order to better meet the individual needs of students. Additionally, we hope that this will further improve our already very positive outcomes.All students will follow our supported internship curriculum for their first term and typically students will spend 3 terms (their first year) following this: they will learn within real work experience placements within either Guy’s or St. Thomas’ hospitals four days a week, supported by work-place mentors and specialist job coaches and spend one day a week in class where they learn valuable employability and independent living skills and work towards City & Guilds qualifications. The

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objective is for young people to become ‘work-ready’ and to have gained a reference from their workplace. Students’ progress to the Year two curriculum once ‘work-ready’, typically in term 4, where the focus is on greater independence in the workplace and to support students to develop the skills and confidence and to actively seek and hopefully gain paid employment, an apprenticeship or further training of choice. TAP staff use person centered planning and our aim is to help all students reach their individual goals as defined in their Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP). Class based learning is being developed in termly modules so that students can move from year one to year two curriculum at their own speed. This also means we will be able to accept students at the beginning of any term.

Core Responsibilities: 1. To assist Tutor and TAP Coordinator to assess learner’s preferences, skill levels and support

needs related to work experience and employment 2. To work with the Tutor, TAP Coordinator and learners to identify, agree and monitor employment

targets in their ILP (Individual Learning Plans) and in the targets of individual work placements 3. To ensure job matches are appropriate to the individual’s needs and aspirations, and that

targets set within each placement are relevant and promote new skills and learning 4. To assist in acquiring and completing risk assessments where appropriate5. To support the TAP Coordinator in the set up and settling in of students into each work

placement6. To monitor all work placements closely, providing support and training to work place mentors

and departments where required. To provide personalised on the job training to learners in their work placements as required and developing strategies and adjustments for learners and mentors to overcome difficulties they are experiencing

7. To keep detailed records of visits and appraisals and to report any difficulties that arise to your line manager. To complete all necessary evaluations, reports and documentation as required

8. To liaise with departmental managers within the hospitals to ensure placements are working for them and to organise and facilitate termly appraisals between departmental managers and students

9. To work with the Tutors and support the students during class days and to help create learning materials as needed

10. To help travel train learners to enable them to become more independent travellers 11. To assist with organising and managing social groups 12. To contribute towards learner’s person centred reviews and annual Education Health and Care

Plan reviews as required13. To liaise regularly with student’s families, carers and social workers (or other Local Authority

personnel)as required14. To actively engage with the host employer to promote The Autism Project and CareTrade and to

work to open up work placements in new departments 15. To engage in information sessions and other employer training and engagement activities

across London to market the employability of learners with autism and to secure work placements, work trials, apprenticeships and employment

General Responsibilities:1. Observe the strictest confidentiality and security of information2. Safeguard and promote the welfare of clients3. Promote a positive image of autism, The Autism Project, CareTrade, our projects and project

partners4. Co-operate with all CareTrade staff in maintaining good relationships with outside agencies and

the general public in order to promote the charity and win increased support for its work

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5. Co-operate with all CareTrade and Project staff in maintaining harmonious inter-personal relationships.  Ensure that your conduct within and outside of your work place does not conflict with professional expectations

6. Attend all staff meetings and participate in staff development as required7. Be aware of and observe Fire and Health and Safety Regulations at the work place8. Ensure the respect, dignity and rights to privacy of both students and staff as far as possible9. Carry out any duties as are within the scope, spirit and purpose of the job and the title of the

post, as required by your Line Manager or his/her next higher level of authority.  The job description reflects the present requirements of the post .You will be expected to carry out other activities that are within the scope of the role. As duties and responsibilities change and develop the job description will be reviewed and be subject to amendment in consultation with the post holder. 

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Working conditions of this post are indicated below:- 

Place of work: You will be based at CareTrade Offices at The Clarence Centre, St George’s Circus, SE1 6FE (near Elephant and Castle), at Guys Hospital and St Thomas’ Hospital initially and other locations in London as required.

Travel: There may be travel to businesses in the local area and wider London area as needed. In addition there is occasional travel outside London for training and conferences.

Hours: It is a full time post. 37.5hrs a week Monday to Friday between 9am-5.30pm (allowing an hour for lunch). Candidates must be willing to be a little flexible to facilitate student parent meetings and occasional presentations in the early evening. Time may be taken in lieu for unsocial hours worked. 

Remuneration: £ 24,000 – 26,000 per annum including ILW dependent upon experience. Full Time appointment - 37.5 hours per week plus a contributory pension (in line with government auto-enrolment).

Annual Leave: 5 weeks (25 days) plus Bank Holidays. All holiday must be taken in consultation with TAP Lead. No more than 5 days can be taken by any one TAP staff-member during term time (when students are on work placements) during any given academic year. Leave can only be carried over in exceptional circumstances. Working Environment: Office, classroom and in various departments at Guy’s & St. Thomas’ Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and within other businesses within London. Pressures Inherent in Job: Matching students to suitable placements. Dealing with young people with autistic spectrum conditions; many of whom display complex behaviours including communication and social difficulties. Working with host employers and mentors with different styles and strengths.  Other Significant Factors: A professional and flexible approach is required in order to maintain and enhance the reputation of the project and of all the partner organisations of CareTrade. 

Confidentiality: All staff are required to maintain confidentiality for CareTrade Charitable Trust, GSTT or other partner organisations, its staff and its work. The nature of the work entrusts people with confidential information about clients/service users, their families and staff within CareTrade and partner organisations. Any breach of this confidentiality will constitute gross misconduct.  We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all young people who use our services and as such expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All staff must provide a current, adequate and relevant DBS Certificate or be willing for CareTrade to process a new enhanced DBS application. All staff must have a satisfactory enhanced DBS check (formerly CRB check) prior to starting.

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PERSON SPECIFICATION

Qualifications  Essential Desirable Assessed in

Application, Interview or

both1 A-Levels x A

2 English and Maths GCSE’s x A

3 Studied to Degree Level x A

4 Evidence of recent continued professional development in relation to Supported Employment

x A

5 Certificate of attendance at a TSI training course or willingness to complete

x A

Knowledge Essential Desirable6 Knowledge and basic understanding of Equality

Act, Equality & Diversity legislation, Data Protection, Health & Safety at Work Act, Autism Act and Strategy

x Both

7 Knowledge of employment issues affecting people with disabilities

x Both

8 Knowledge and understanding of autistic spectrum conditions

x Both

9 Knowledge of Learning Disabilities/Disability issues  

x I

10 Knowledge of Assessment procedures in respect of the skills and needs of people with disabilities

x I

11 Knowledge and understanding of the importance of high quality job applications and willingness to undertake further training

x Both

Skills Essential Desirable12 Ability to enable, empower and motivate others to

meet their maximum potentialx I

13 Ability to empathise and advocate for the needs of people with autism and/or learning difficulties

x I

14 Ability to teach others in a systematic way and using different teaching methods/approaches

x I

15 Ability to work independently and use own initiative x I16 Excellent organisational skills and strong

negotiation skillsx Both

17 Good IT skills and proficiency in Microsoft (Word, Excel, Outlook and Power point)

x A

18 Understanding of and commitment to safeguarding relating to vulnerable young people and adults

x Both

Experience Essential Desirable19 Demonstrable experience of working with people

with autism (paid or unpaid) and or learning disabilities

x A

20 Experience of teaching or training – e.g. facilitating life, social and communication skills

x A

21 Experience of supporting adults with autism (or people with learning difficulties) into work in a job coaching capacity

x A

22 Experience of completing risk assessments x A

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23 Experience of managing challenging behaviours x I

24 Experience of creating ILP targets and monitoring and reporting progress against them

x A

25 Ability to manage own workload and to work as part of a team

x A

26 Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing, with other staff, clients, employers and other professionals

x Both

27 Demonstrable experience of negotiating/liaising with other organisations

x I

28 Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team

x A

Personal Qualities Essential Desirable29 Self-motivated, able to use own initiative and a

strong work ethic x Both

30 To be passionate about developing employment opportunities for people with autism

x Both

31 Possess considerable patience, to be tactful and diplomatic

x A

32 To have a flexible approach and to be creative in responding to needs of clients and employers

x Both

33 Flexibility in relation to working in different environments and managing changing priorities throughout the day/week

x A

34 Excellent time keeping skills and ability to work under pressure

x A

35 Loyalty and commitment x A

36 Commitment to Equal Opportunities x Both

37 Commitment to ongoing personal training and development

x A

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