Job Description – Realising Opportunities Ementor
CLOSING DATE: Friday 30th October 2015
Rate of pay - £8.64 per hour
February 2016 – December 2016 inclusive
POST TITLE:
Realising Opportunities Ementor
DEPARTMENT:
Student Recruitment, Outreach and Admissions Service
SALARY:
Rate of pay is £8.64 per hour and is made for each Ambassador
session completed including travel time. Additional payments will be
made for attending review sessions and for training and the National
Student Conference.
COMMITMENT:
Short listed candidates will be required to attend a compulsory
assessment centre on Wednesday 18th November 2015.
Successful candidates will then be asked to attend a second selection
event on:Tuesday 1st December 5pm – 8pm
And will be required to undertake two compulsory training days:
Tuesday 8th December 2015 5pm – 7pm
Wednesday 27th January 2016 – 09.30 – 16.30
As well as completing a DBS check, before starting the online
ementoring and attending the National Student Conference.
CLOSING DATE:
Friday 30th October 2015
Realising Opportunities
Realising Opportunities (RO) is an innovative, national programme for Year 12 and 13 students
involving some of the country’s leading research intensive universities (listed to the right). Students
are recruited from backgrounds currently under-represented in higher education. They follow a
programme of activity and guidance through their post-16 studies to develop their skills to be
successful at university. The programme students follow and the benefits they receive are
summarised below:
Programme
 Launch event
 Skills4uni online study skills module
 Ementoring support from a current
undergraduate
 National Student Conference
 An academic element - either the
Extended Project Qualification (EPQ),
or the Realising Opportunities
Academic Assignment
 Range of events and activities at
partner universities (must attend at
least one at an RO university that is
not their local, host university in
addition to the above)
Benefits
 All partner universities give additional
consideration to their UCAS
application
 Many partner universities give an
alternative RO offer worth up to two A
level grades or equivalent
 Skills development
 Informed decisions about future
 Understanding of what a research
intensive university can offer.
 Access to careers information from
professional employed in the field.
We require a team of dedicated, proactive undergraduate ementors to work with students throughout
their time on RO, following an interactive programme which underpins all RO activity and offers
guidance with higher education applications and skills useful for current study. The team of ementors
will be made up of students from each of the RO Partner universities - current university students
are in the best position to assist RO students with their questions about higher education by sharing
experiences, and using the resources provided by RO.
The ementor role
 To provide consistent, constructive support, information and guidance to a group of up to seven
mentees in Year 12-13 (aged 16 – 19), using the secure, internet-based RO ementoring portal.
 To follow an established ementoring programme which involves:
o Working through pre-identified activities with mentees.
o Discussing identified topics with mentees.
o Discussing information provided on news feeds and forums.
o Contributing to specific forums with relevant information as requested by the RO Central
Team and leading discussions on your area of study.
 To encourage mentees to consider applying to a research intensive university.
 To contribute to the raising of the confidence, self esteem and aspirations of mentees.
 To answer all questions with honesty and integrity.
 Attend the RO National Student Conference and lead a group of mentees through activities.
Why apply to be an ementor?
 You will receive full training
 You will develop new and existing skills.
 You will have additional experience to draw on when applying for graduate jobs.
 You can login wherever and whenever you choose, so it’s easy to fit ementoring into your busy
schedule.
 You will gain the satisfaction of taking part in a structured scheme that makes a positive impact
on the students taking part.
Payment
 You will be paid via the payment systems of your University.
 You will be paid at a rate of £8.64 per hour for your ementoring work and working at the National
Student Conference. Travel will be provided.
 You will be paid a bursary of £50 for attending training. Travel will be provided.
Requirements of role
Ementors must be available to:
 Access the internet and ementor their students for at least one and a half to two hours per week
from February 2016 – December 2016, excluding August 2016 when ementoring will break for
summer. Ementors must be available for the duration of this period to support their students.
 Travel to and attend a central training session on Wednesday 27th January 2016 at the
University of Warwick
 Travel to and work at the RO National Student Conference which will take place on Saturday 5th
March 2015 in Goldsmiths London.
Ementors will be expected to:
 Adhere to all guidelines and regulations for good conduct and practice set out in training and at
any subsequent time.
 Maintain a balance of communication with the mentees that is friendly, courteous and
professional.
 Remember at all times the importance of the student’s individual choice and opinion.
 Never guess at the answers to questions, but research information properly and indicate
signposts to other identified sources.
 Be a positive source of support for their mentees contributing to raising of their self-esteem,
confidence and aspirations through appropriate communications using the ementor platform.
 Be positive advocators of higher education, research intensive universities and their own
university.
At the National Student Conference, ementors will be required to:
 Lead an identified group of students through a programme of pre-planned activities.
 Be enthusiastic about higher education and Realising Opportunities.
 Assist organisers with aspects of the day as requested.
Knowledge, skills and experience
This post is open to undergraduate students from any of the RO Partner universities. The role
requires the following skills:
Knowledge, skills and experience
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Excellent interpersonal skills
An awareness of issues relating to progression to higher education
An awareness of issues relating to progression facing young people
from groups currently under-represented in higher education
The ability to enthuse young people about higher education
The ability to promote the benefits of a research intensive university
The ability to work independently following training
The ability to use initiative
An awareness of the process of applying to higher education
Be a current student at an RO Partner university
Experience of working with young people
Reliable, mature approach
Availability to attend the training session, work at the National Student
Conference and commit at least one and a half to two hours a week to
ementoring February 2015 – December 2015
Essential
X
X
X
Desirable
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Disclosure and Barring Service
Please note: if your application is successful, and you have not already done so through your
University, you will be required to complete an application for an enhanced disclosure from the
Disclosure and Barring Service as this role involves working with young people under the age of 18.
This cost of this will be met by RO.
Further information
The ementoring programme and training is co-ordinated by the RO Central Team, based at
Newcastle University.
For more information about Realising Opportunities please visit
www.realisingopportunities.ac.uk.
To apply
To apply for this role, please complete the Realising Opportunities ementor application form by
Friday 30th October.
You will be informed if your application has been successful by your university and will receive
information regarding training week commencing 14 December 2015 from the RO Central Team.