BSL (British Sign Language) Interpreter SSW

The salary for this position is £23,420 - £25,783 per annum based on a 36 hour working week, across 33 weeks per year (term-time, September – June) pro-rata to £32,173 - £35,419. The position is for 4 or 5 days per week (Monday-Friday or Monday -Thursday). 

Are you looking for a new opportunity to develop your career in BSL (British Sign Language) interpreting and specialist student support, within a team of education professionals?

Who Are We?

Physical and Sensory Support (PSS) is a targeted specialist education service for defined and vulnerable young people.

The FHE16+ Team within PSS consists of 20+ Student Support Workers (SSWs), BSL Interpreters (RSLI and TSLI), and Advisory Teachers for sensory impairment (teachers of the deaf and teachers of VI / MSI).

The Interpreter/SSW post is a peripatetic role, providing BSL interpreting and communication support (including notetaking) to students in colleges and universities in Surrey, at Surrey County Council buildings and occasionally remotely (online).

In the role you will be required to work in partnership with a team of other professionals as part of Physical and Sensory Support (PSS) with vulnerable young people in educational settings, providing curriculum access to Further and Higher Education courses. The FHE 16+ team is the post-16 traded service area within the wider Physical and Sensory Support.

According to your individual skills and qualifications, you will be providing BSL interpreting and communication support to students in colleges and universities around Surrey, as well as to colleagues in the team. You will occasionally be interpreting for deaf parents at school events and for deaf work colleagues attending training and occasional online or in-person work meetings. 

As this is a joint Interpreter/SSW role, your main role will be as a BSL Interpreter, but there will be times when you will also provide specialist notetaking support in-class to both deaf and visually impaired students in colleges and universities. If required, you will be given in-house notetaker training leading to a full Level 3 professional notetaking qualification.

You will be required to communicate and liaise with FHE 16+ colleagues, students, college, and university staff to facilitate quality assurance with regard to support and student achievement. You will attend work meetings as required and undertake continual professional development training during work hours.   

You will need to have use of your own car to travel to different bookings during the workday, covering bookings between the hours of 9am and 5pm during 33 weeks of the year from September to June. 

To be shortlisted for interview for this position, your application will clearly evidence:

• Qualified BSL/English interpreter status, regulated by NRCPD (RSLI) OR
• Trainee BSL/English Interpreter status, regulated by NRCPD (TSLI) with a level 6 qualification in BSL 
• An ability to support students in further or higher education as a notetaker, taking manual or electronic notes or willingness to undergo training
• Awareness of the communication and access requirements of deaf people 
• Willingness to learn about supporting students with visual or multi-sensory impairment
• Good communication and organisational skills 
• Good IT skills, with experience using MS Word, Outlook and calendars
• Flexibility to support students across Surrey from 9-5pm, with use of own car for business purposes
• Ability to support students remotely, working from home as necessary

You will be allocated a work base at either Quadrant Court in Woking or Fairmount House in Leatherhead. A mileage allowance is paid for all additional travel to bookings (above home-work-base commute).

In this varied and exciting role, you will receive supervision, regular co-working opportunities in a supportive team, and the opportunity for CPD throughout the year.  

The full-time equivalent salary is pro-rata to 33 'contact' work weeks in the year, to match the college academic year (September to June). Salary is paid in 12 monthly instalments throughout the year. 

At Surrey, our values and behaviours are just as important as our skills and abilities. They shape who we are as an organisation. Find out more about the values we follow.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 30/09/2022.

An enhanced DBS ‘Disclosure and Barring Service’ check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children’s and Adults’ Barred List checks will be required for this role.

Contact Details

For an informal discussion please contact James Fitzgerald RSLI (Manager / Professional Lead) by e-mail at james.fitzgerald@surreycc.gov.uk

Benefits

• A work laptop and mobile will be supplied to allow for agile working
• Your NRCPD registration fees will be covered by SCC

You will benefit from a generous local government salary related pension, as well as the option to join our car lease scheme. For more information about the wide variety of benefits you can take advantage of please visit MyBenefits for Surrey County Council staff.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer of first choice reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all under represented groups.