Student Disability and Wellbeing Advisor

The University of Portsmouth London is seeking a dedicated and experienced Mental Health & Disability Support Advisor. In this role, you will be part of a dynamic team committed to fostering a culture of inclusivity and belonging, ensuring that every student feels valued and supported.

Reporting to the Director of Operations and Student Services, the Student Disability and Wellbeing Advisor will provide proactive support to students facing barriers to study due to personal circumstances. The role has two main objectives:

• Ensuring students with disabilities, specific learning difficulties, and long-term health conditions can fully benefit from their academic and student experience by providing high-quality information, advice, and support.
• Offering specialist support to students with personal and emotional difficulties, particularly in mental health, and working with both internal and external colleagues to achieve this.

The post holder will also contribute to the safeguarding and protection of vulnerable students through intervention, signposting, or referral to specialist services. This is a senior role requiring experience in supporting students with complex disability and wellbeing needs.

Key Responsibilities:

Additional Support and Disability Advice:

• Lead, manage, and develop Additional Support and Disability Advice at UoPL.
• Collaborate with the Director of Operations and Student Services to develop strategies, policies, and procedures related to ASDC.
• Provide high-quality support, advice, and guidance to students, staff, and prospective students regarding disabilities, specific learning differences, and long-term health conditions.
• Manage a caseload of students with complex support needs, including assisting with funding applications and monitoring progress.
• Liaise with staff, stakeholders, and external agencies to ensure necessary support is provided.
• Stay informed about disability legislation and best practices to ensure compliance with the Equality Act 2010 and relevant guidelines.
• Plan, develop, and deliver relevant training with colleagues.
• Collect feedback, monitor trends, and benchmark service provision for quality assurance.
• Encourage disclosure of disabilities and proactively address future needs and resources.
• Represent the Additional Support and Disability Advice service and provide expert guidance when necessary.
• Work across sites and occasionally outside normal working hours.
• Promote UoPL/Northchild’s Equality and Diversity policies.

Wellbeing:

• Assist in developing, delivering, and evaluating personal, emotional, and wellbeing support for students.
• Provide individual support for students with personal, emotional, and wellbeing challenges, contributing to their retention and success.
• Conduct intake consultations, triage assessments, and refer to appropriate services when necessary.
• Coordinate support for students with personal, emotional, or wellbeing issues, liaising with faculty and staff.
• Assist in managing mental health crises and coordinate with external agencies where appropriate, with occasional out-of-hours work.
• Promote wellbeing and mental health awareness among students and staff.
• Maintain links with third-sector organisations, NHS, and community mental health services.
• Keep up-to-date with best practices and professional standards in mental health support.
• Maintain accurate and ethical records as required.
• Adhere to professional ethical frameworks.
• Undertake other duties as required by the Director of Operations and Student Services

 Essential Requirements:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent professional experience.
• Knowledge of the Equality Act 2010 and Disabled Students Allowance system.
• Experience in customer service within a complex organisation, preferably in HE.
• Ability to analyse issues and implement long-term solutions with external agencies.
• Understanding of additional support needs and disability adjustments for students.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver objectives with minimal supervision.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work empathetically with diverse groups.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, able to simplify complex information.
• Excellent IT skills.
• Effective team player, able to build positive working relationships.

Attributes and experience:

• Experience working with adults, including young adults, with personal, emotional, or mental health difficulties.
• Knowledge of ethical frameworks for clinical practice.
• Commitment to reflective practice and continuing professional development.
• Experience in risk assessments and therapeutic work with individuals.
• Ability to communicate specialist knowledge to non-specialist audiences.
• Ability to remain calm and resilient under pressure.
• Competence in administrative systems and liaising effectively with professionals.
• Experience managing unplanned crises in clinical contexts.
• Professional qualification in a relevant field, e.g., social work, nursing, psychology, counselling.
• Significant experience in mental health or support services.

Application Process: Please send a CV and covering letter to talent@northchild.com via the 'Apply' button.

At Northchild, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. We provide equal opportunities for all, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. We actively encourage applications from all sections of the community and are dedicated to eliminating discrimination through fair and supportive policies and practices. Our goal is to create a vibrant academic community that reflects the diversity of society and enables all staff and students to achieve their full potential.

Join us at the University of Portsmouth London and make a meaningful impact on the lives of our students. If you are passionate about creating  an environment where every student feels valued, supported, and empowered to succeed, apply today and be a part of our dedicated team committed to excellence in student support.

If you have any questions please reach out to our recruitment team at talent@northchild.com