Wellbeing Adviser 24052017 Job Title Wellbeing Adviser Faculty/ School/Department Student Affairs Responsible to: Counselling and Wellbeing Manager Responsible for: None

Job Purpose To assist the Student Wellbeing Manager, Health and Wellbeing Teams, and Student Services Department in the provision and development of advice, referral and practical support for students with health and wellbeing concerns. To help identify and support enquirers, applicants and current students who have left care. To take a lead across the division and, where appropriate, across the department and University on student wellbeing issues and to develop University-wide health promotion and staff development activities.

Main activities and responsibilities  Provide individual students with direct support, information and practical advice in relation to general wellbeing issues, referring to other staff and advisers for more specialised support where appropriate.  Follow-up any concerns about a student’s wellbeing that have arisen from an incident or series of enquiries from staff or students, help to co-ordinate the University’s response, contact the individual student where appropriate, and facilitate a referral to further appropriate support.  Play a role in the University’s response to unpredictable situations and wellbeing related crises, such as student death or incidents of infectious disease within the student population.  Provide support for students and University staff who are affected by times of crisis, advising and supporting staff in their roles in relation to student wellbeing.  Work in an outreach capacity where necessary, e.g. home and hospital visits.  Assist the Student Wellbeing Manager in co-ordinating the University’s approach to care leavers, developing and implementing systems to help University and Faculty admissions staff identify applicants leaving care, and raising awareness amongst relevant staff about the needs of care leavers.  Undertake a primary assessment of needs and provide information, advice and support during the enquiry, application, induction and transition stages for young people leaving care.  Collaborate with colleagues in Marketing on outreach activities aimed at care leavers, and help to develop, produce and disseminate information resources for these prospective students and applicants, their supporters and University staff.  Develop information and self-help literature for students and staff on general wellbeing issues in liaison with other professionals within Student Services.  Promote health and emotional wellbeing across the University, contribute to strategic wellbeing initiatives, events and campaigns, and prepare and deliver training and awareness workshops for staff to improve the University’s response to student health and wellbeing incidents.  Promote equality and diversity for students and staff and sustain an inclusive and supportive study and work environment in accordance with University policy.  Develop and provide group workshops for students on wellbeing issues, in close consultation with other professionals within Student Services.  Maintain a thorough knowledge and understanding of policies, issues and legislation relating to support for vulnerable adults, and inform and advise the University on developments in student wellbeing issues, including current provision and best practice at other higher education institutions.  Contribute to University policy development on student support issues and assist Wellbeing Adviser 24052017 the Student Wellbeing Manager to establish and monitor appropriate policies and procedures with regards to vulnerable students and care leavers.  Maintain accurate and confidential records and case notes on prospective and current students in accordance with the University / Student Services data protection and confidentiality policies.  Maintain membership of appropriate professional bodies and undertake personal and professional development commensurate with the role.  Monitor appropriate service standards and, with the Student Wellbeing Manager, ensure compliance with relevant legal requirements and the demands of best practice.  Assist the Student Wellbeing Manager to monitor and collate feedback from students and staff, and contribute to annual reports by providing information and commenting on wellbeing issues within the student population in order to make recommendations for change or improvements to service delivery.  Attend meetings of relevant Student Services teams and University working groups as necessary.  Undertake any other duties commensurate with the grading and purpose of the post as may be required from time to time.

Additional Key Requirements: Managing People and Resources Strong IT skills including MS Office suite, email / internet. Commit to attendance at at least one event aimed at student recruitment or applicant induction each year. Communication Excellent written and oral communication skills. Excellent interpersonal and presentational skills. Negotiating skills

Ability to develop information and promotional materials on a range of wellbeing issues

Teamwork and collaborative working Ability to work co-operatively across all levels of the University and with external organisations. Maintain constructive relationships with stakeholders within and outside the University. Ability to work independently on own initiative and know when to seek guidance from colleagues and managers

Ability to work effectively as part of a team and contribute to service development

Provide input to different teams within Student Affairs as required Initiative, problem solving and decision making Good crisis management skills

Demonstrate strong organisational and administrative skills, particularly in managing caseload at times of peak service demand. Work environment Strong time management and organisational skills

Ability to prioritise workload and meet strict deadlines

Person Specification  Educated to degree level or equivalent;

 RN / RMN, social work, counselling or other health-related professional qualification is Wellbeing Adviser 24052017 desirable;

 Proven experience of working within a voluntary, community or statutory health related environment

 Experience of working in a Higher Education setting, or with students or young people is preferred;

 Experience of providing direct support to individuals with health and wellbeing needs, including mental health difficulties

 Contribution to awareness-raising initiatives, facilitation of workshops / training in wellbeing issues (or a willingness to do this) is desirable;

 Experience of working with care leavers is preferred

 Development of mental health and / or wellbeing-related policies, procedures or protocols is desirable;

 Skills in counselling is essential;

 Experience in crisis management, and equality of opportunity is preferred;

 Sound knowledge of statutory and voluntary health provision and referral routes

 Knowledge of Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 or other relevant policies and publications regarding care leavers is desirable;

 An understanding of the range of health and wellbeing issues (including mental health) which may affect students in Higher Education is required;

 Understanding of confidentiality and Data Protection issues in Higher Education is preferred;

 Knowledge and understanding of equality and diversity issues and how this relates to students is preferred;

 Must have flexible attitude to working practices, and be willing to work from any University site with little notice;  Must be willing and able to engage in external networking, and attend conferences;  Must be willing and able to undertake some evening and/or weekend work; Able to demonstrate:  Superb organisational skills and accurate record-keeping; A strong commitment to sustaining an inclusive and supportive study and work environment and promoting equality and diversity

 Ability to work in a student-centred way, enthusiasm for promoting student wellbeing and developing innovative ways of working

Special requirements Ability to undertake duties at different premises including any University campus as required. National travel may be necessary on occasion in order to attend conferences, training or other events. Wellbeing Adviser 24052017 May be required to work outside normal office hours to support University events. This will require flexibility, especially at times of peak activity. Must be willing to attend at least one event aimed at student recruitment or applicant induction each year.

Expectations of all staff Professional standards All staff employed by Birmingham City University are expected to exhibit high professional standards which promote and demonstrate the University’s core values of Excellence, People Focused, Partnership Working, Fairness and Integrity. Equal Opportunities All staff are expected to understand and enact the University’s commitment to ensuring equality and diversity in all activities. This commitment is enshrined in the Equality Statement and core values. Dignity at work Every member of staff has a responsibility to ensure colleagues are treated with dignity and respect. The University is committed to creating a work environment for all staff that is free from harassment, intimidation and any other forms of bullying at work, where everyone is treated with dignity, respect and professional courtesy. Health and safety The arrangements for meeting the University’s health and safety objectives are contained in the Birmingham City University Health and Safety Policy. This includes the responsibilities of key staff and procedures covering the main activities of the University. All staff are expected to take reasonable care of themselves and those that may be affected by their actions. Dress code The University does not operate a formal dress code for its employees, other than for those who are provided with uniform and/or protective clothing. However, employees must ensure that their dress is professional, reasonably smart and appropriate for the situation in which they are working. All staff should ensure that they present a professional image and one that reflects sensitivity to customer perceptions. This may reflect their ethnicity and lifestyle, but should not be provocative or cause offence to those with whom they have contact. Citizenship All staff are expected to adhere to good citizenship, being generous with help and support to others, collaborating with colleagues and working for the benefit of the University as a whole. In particular working to provide a positive student experience and achieving excellence in all the University’s activities. This job description indicates the expectations of staff at this level. Job descriptions are not exhaustive and you may be required to undertake other duties of a similar level and responsibility.