Student Welfare Officer

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI); Dublin; On-site; EUR 48,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) seeks a dedicated welfare and wellbeing practitioner to provide proactive support to students across programmes. You will operate within the CoMPPAS team at RCSI locations, coordinating care, signposting services, and ensuring timely intervention for those facing health and wellbeing challenges.

You will build collaborative relationships with academic leadership, tutors and external providers, maintaining confidential records and contributing to a

Qualifications

• Accredited 3rd level social work qualification or equivalent.
• 5 years post qualification work experience in Social Work discipline in a health capacity.
• Appropriate Professional Registration in a related discipline.
• Evidenced case management experience and skills.
• Excellent organisational and record keeping skills.
• Ability to prioritise and manage a diverse workload to meet deadlines in a busy environment.
• Strong interpersonal, communication and influencing skills.
• Fluent in written and spoken business English.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct support, guidance and signposting advice to students with social, emotional, physical or mental health difficulties.
• Refer to internal and external support services to ensure best possible outcomes for students.
• Carry out risk assessments in collaboration with relevant stakeholders and professional services.
• Maintain accurate case records on CoMPPAS welfare management database and Quercus system.
• Develop strategies to promote student resilience, wellbeing and success as future healthcare professionals.
• Lead and participate in multidisciplinary case reviews for complex student needs.

Skills

Social work practice

Case management

Interpersonal skills

Documentation

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Accredited 3rd level social work qualification

Professional registration

Tools

MS Office

Databases

Quercus system

Job description

Reporting To: Head of Student Development and Wellbeing or appointee

Location: RCSI St Stephens Green / Beaumont Hospital

Department: Centre for Mastery: Personal Professional & Academic Success (CoMPPAS) within the Department of Student, Academic & Regulatory Affairs

Contract type/duration: Specified purpose contract, maternity cover – Full time

Closing date for applications: Before 9:00am on Wednesday 14th of October

About the post:

The objective of this post is to provide inclusive, proactive welfare and wellbeing support to students across the educational programmes of the Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences. The successful candidate as a member of an integrated multidisciplinary team will interact with students and key stakeholders, across the RCSI teaching locations including St Stephen’s Green, RCSI Hospitals Group, and in other clinical locations, to ensure attainment of stated goals. Their priority will be in the professional implementation of individualized and systematic student support. Please note that the provision of therapy / counselling is not part of this role, and it is not envisioned that the successful candidate would enter a therapeutic relationship with any individual student.

Key Objectives

• Assist student progression and success by providing high-quality pro-active support to individual RCSI students and groups.
• Liaise directly with academic leadership, personal tutors, academic staff, faculty co-ordinators and administrative staff to ensure learners are fully supported
• Refer to and liaise with internal stakeholders and external service providers (e.g. RCSI Counselling Service, G.P. Service, etc) and stakeholders to ensure students receive the best possible support in order to achieve their full potential.
• Contribute to and co-ordinate specialist support where required, particularly in relation to a holistic approach to student health and wellbeing
• Develop strategies and training initiatives that promote student resilience, well-being and personal skills for success as a future healthcare professional
• Contribute to the development and implementation of an annual student welfare and well-being service plan
• Assist the Head of Student Development and Wellbeing in the delivery of student engagement and development services across College.

Specifically, the main duties of the post include:

• Provide direct support, guidance and signposting advice to students who may be experiencing social, emotional, physical or mental health difficulties where required, including directing/referring students to appropriate College support and development services
• Provide direct support & guidance to students availing of or subject to RCSI regulatory policies and procedures, including disciplinary, appeals and exceptional circumstances
• Carry out risk assessments in collaboration with relevant stakeholders and professional services
• Support students who have been admitted to hospital
• Effectively manage assigned caseload and work collaboratively with other CoMPPAS team members to ensure the highest possible standards of care
• Implement approved case management practices and processes, including prioritisation, referral, communication and escalation protocols
• Initiate and/or participate in multidisciplinary case reviews to address the specific needs of students in complex cases
• Provide, on a one to one and group basis, high quality interventions that encourage learners to engage and develop strategies for their future success and progression
• Maintain accurate case records of all interventions and student information on the CoMPPAS welfare case management database and Quercus student information system
• Adhere to RCSI data protection and records management requirements in relation to these records
• Research and understand barriers to learning and support learners to overcome these by developing innovative practice and delivering a consistently outstanding service
• Contribute to the development of events / initiatives that support broader staff awareness and management of student welfare related issues
• Develop effective stakeholder relationships, including embassy representatives, to assure appropriate student support and interventions when required
• Attend as required relevant student academic and student support meetings
• Lead and support the promotion of campaign weeks and activities to promote awareness of issues which may impact students.
• Actively publicise support services to all students and staff
• Measure the impact of one to one and group work in order to evaluate effectiveness, inform continual development and target student issues
• Produce statistics as required to improve service standards and contribute to the Colleges’ quality processes
• Commit to the safeguarding and promotion of the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults
• Provide support to the Learning Access & Facilitation service as required
• In collaboration with line-management to take direct responsibility for own continuous professional development
• Engage in relevant professional supervision
• Have flexible working hours to be able to attend examinations, student events (evenings and weekends) and / or react to student crises when necessary
• Provide, in collaboration with others, agreed defined periods of emergency welfare cover for holiday periods.
• Comply with statutory legislation and CoMPPAS rules and requirements in furtherance of own and general staff welfare and safety
• Undergo programmes of training and development as may be required from time to time
• Represent the best interests of CoMPPAS and RCSI at all times
• Perform such other duties as may be required and assigned

Person Specification:

The successful candidate should possess and demonstrate the following:

• Accredited 3rd level social work qualification or equivalent
• 5 years post qualification work experience in Social Work discipline in a health capacity
• Appropriate Professional Registration in a related discipline
• Evidenced case management experience and skills
• Excellent organisational and record keeping skills
• Ability to prioritise and manage a diverse workload to meet deadlines in a busy environment
• Committed team player capable of working collaboratively and pro-actively with colleagues. Capacity to contribute to a multidisciplinary team environment
• Person centric approach
• Ideally 5 years’ experience – preferably post qualification, working in an educational establishment or clinical learning environment (e.g. third level HEI) providing student wellbeing services to students or 2 years relevant experience in a primary /health/social work setting
• Ability to prioritise and manage a diverse workload to meet deadlines and shifting service demands
• Competent ICT skills, including MS Office and working with databases
• Strong interpersonal, communication and influencing skills
• Fluent in written and spoken business English
• Strong commitment to own continuous professional and personal development

At RCSI, people are at the heart of everything we do. Watch our short video to discover our culture, values, and shared commitment to making a meaningful impact on health worldwide. RCSI: Ensemble - Body Meets Mind.