Job Description
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Mentor - Reconnect Team
Full time: 37 hours per week, term time + 5 INSET days | Salary: LGS 7 point 19 (range 19 - 24) : Actual salary including fringe: £29,038
Children's Support Service
Be the difference. Be the connection. Be the change.
Are you ready to take on one of the most rewarding roles in education? We're looking for an exceptional Mentor to join our Reconnect Team - a rarely available opportunity to work directly with young people who need you most.
This isn't a desk job. This is about rolling up your sleeves, stepping into the community, and becoming a lifeline for children who've lost their way. You'll meet them where they are - at home, in their neighbourhoods - and help them find their path back to education and belonging.
What you'll do:
✨ Make real connections - Build trust with students and families through meaningful welfare checks and home visits
✨ Deliver a specialist curriculum - Deliver our engaging, tailored sessions that reignite a love of learning and prepare students to return to school
✨ Be a champion - Advocate for young people, working alongside families and our teaching team to remove barriers and create opportunities
✨ Change lives - Watch students rediscover their confidence, rebuild relationships, and take their next steps forward
Who we're looking for:
We want someone who's passionate, resilient, and genuinely cares about making a difference. You might be a youth worker, pastoral leader, teaching assistant, or anyone with experience supporting children and young people through challenging times.
You'll need:
- Experience working with children or young people in education, youth work, or pastoral settings
- The ability to build trusting relationships and communicate with empathy
- A commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
- Creativity, flexibility and a solution-focused mindset
- The courage to work independently and the humility to ask for help when you need it
- Your own car with business insurance (mileage paid!)
Why join us?
- Work with a brilliant team - You'll be supported by passionate colleagues who share your commitment to children
- Make a genuine impact - This role offers the chance to transform lives in ways that few others can
- Develop your skills - Access ongoing training and professional development opportunities
- Be part of something special - Join a service dedicated to giving every child a second chance
This is more than a job. It's a calling. If you're ready to step up and be the person a young person will never forget, we want to hear from you.
Information about the School
The Children’s Support Service is a short stay alternative provision in Essex. We educate and support children from KS1 - KS4 as well as providing an outreach service which works to support students, staff and schools in the local area. Our schools are based in Basildon (secondary) and Wickford (primary and secondary).
Our Medical Education Team work across South and West Essex and focus on not only educating children and young people but crucially reintegrating our students back into their mainstream school.
We now offer, in partnership with Essex Local Authority Education Access Team, an education and reintegration programme for students who have been permanently excluded from any part of Essex back to their local mainstream school.
Most of our students are referred to us due to challenges they may have faced in school; many come with additional needs and require academic, emotional and social support. We pride ourselves on overcoming these challenges and ensuring every student is successful.
We offer a wide range of subjects and match a mainstream setting through our core curriculum offer. At the same time, as a 'needs -led' provision we offer extensive enrichment opportunities to our students.
We collaborate with schools and professionals who need our support, and aim to reintegrate students back into mainstream education or prepare them for other lifelong learning opportunities.
Our staff create positive, safe, caring and supportive learning environments, helping to inspire every child to 'be the best they can be.'
CSS staff benefit from flexible working arrangements, our subscription to an Employee Assistance Programme, which provides mental health and well-being support services for all staff, including 24/7 access to advice, support and counselling for our whole team.
Please note that car insurance including "business use" is required.