Language & Learning Officer

The Language & Learning Officer will provide support and guidance to volunteers and learners, and
work with the Project Manager to plan and organize enrolment days, enrichment activities and
tailored support to learners. We believe this will be an exciting role helping people who are re-
building their lives to learn a new language, meet new people, and feel part of a community. The
Language & Learning officer will work within and alongside the wider Language and Learning team
with the primary purpose of providing an exemplary level of support to ESOL learners and
volunteers. The role may also involve supporting activities and workshops delivered by the rest of
the team.

The role has three key strands:

• Volunteers’ coordination and support: working with the Project Manager, you will be supporting volunteers in their roles and ensuring the smooth running of systems and communications, leading to clients’ and volunteers’ satisfaction.
• Daily administrative tasks using our CRM system and other platforms to track the support provided, plan enrolments, ensure consistency of information, and notify the Project Manager of any safeguarding concerns.
• Direct support to English language learners, including session planning and occasional delivery, ad-hoc casework support, and collaboration with other organizations to provide a rich curriculum that meets the needs and desire of our learners.

Reports to: Language & Learning Service Manager
Hours: 16h per week
Location: Newcastle Office, NE1 2JQ
Contract: Fixed term 1 year contract (subject to passing a 3- month probation period).
An extension to this post may be possible, subject to further project funding.
Salary Scale: £25,470 to £28,121 per annum Pro Rata plus 6% pension contribution. It is our
policy to appoint new roles at the bottom of the pay scale, however in
exceptional circumstances, this can be negotiated.
Annual Leave: 28 days + English Bank Holidays Pro Rata
 

Organisational context
Action Foundation is an award-winning charity that supports and empowers asylum seekers, refugees
and migrants in the North East to overcome immediate barriers, integrate with the community, and
build skills for the future. The charity delivers its services across the Tyne & Wear region with our main
offices being in Newcastle Centre, close to the quayside. Over 20 years the charity has grown to support
more than 3,000 people a year with approximately 80 volunteers, 30 staff and a turnover more than 1.5
million pounds.

Duties & Responsibilities
The following is typical of the duties the post holder will be expected to perform. It is not necessarily
exhaustive and other duties of a similar nature and level may be required from time to time.

Frontline Support
• Ad-hoc casework and support to our learners, including letters of reference, bank letters, digital
connectivity and employability advice.
• Occasional planning and delivery of English language classes and thematic sessions.
• Classroom preparation, communication with learners and organization of cyclical
enrolments.
• Ensuring that safeguarding procedures are followed, and professional boundaries are
always maintained.
• Attending Drop-in provisions and events in various locations as required.
 

Monitoring and Evaluation
• Carrying out ongoing monitoring with participants via surveys; direct feedback and
other monitoring and evaluation tools as appropriate.
• Working within a budget to assist participants to access or move towards further
education or employment. Examples may include payment towards travel costs or
refreshments.
• Developing and maintaining participant records, complying with systems and reports in
place to monitor data and outcomes, using the CRM system to record information on the
support provided in a timely and consistent manner.
• Work in accordance with the various metrics and outcomes, collaborating with the
Programme Manager to discuss areas for improvement and shared outcomes.
 

Partnership and Communication
• Distribute communications materials that support the project and help clients access
support.
• Communicate with volunteers to ensure smooth delivery of service and clients’
satisfaction.
• Support and coordinate sessions run by external providers.
• Prepare and deliver sessions in collaboration with other organizations, including
multilingual creative sessions in schools with Moving Parts.
The above is not an exhaustive list of duties but a key summary of the main responsibilities of this post.
 

Personal Specification/Key Competencies
Action Foundation is an Equal Opportunity employer, and we welcome applications from all sectors of
the community. 

Experience
• Managing challenging caseloads and conflicting priorities Essential
• Understanding of equal opportunities issues and their practical application Essential
• Supporting vulnerable individuals / dealing with safeguarding concerns Essential
• Working with adults in an educational or pastoral capacity Essential
• CELTA or similar level qualification/experience in teaching English Essential
• Working with volunteers Essential
• Working with people speaking English as a second language Essential
• Working with a CRM Desirable
• Working in the third/voluntary sector Desirable

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
• Understanding of the issues faced by asylum-experience people, Essential
including how trauma might impact memory and engagement.
• Experience of advice & guidance, negotiating, reviewing Essential
and supervising a caseload of participants.
• Awareness of Safeguarding people at risk and maintaining professional Essential
 

Boundaries
• Interpersonal, teamwork, negotiating and organizational skills Essential
• Ability to prioritise and work well under pressure
• Good written and verbal communication skills to all stakeholders Essential
• IT skills, including working with Microsoft Office and CRM systems Essential
• Data input and processing skills Essential
• Ability to speak a language other than English Desirable
• Knowledge of Digital Inclusion methods Desirable
• Trauma-Informed awareness Desirable
 

Personal qualities
• Absolute integrity with a commitment to transparency and openness Essential
• To be committed to supporting vulnerable migrants Essential
• To be supportive of the ethos and values of the charity Essential
• Open to further training, if required, including regulated Essential

Qualifications
• University degree or equivalent (including degrees obtained in other countries) Essential

Employee Perks
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Central Location
• Secure Bike Storage
• Friendly and multilingual team
• The opportunity to do meaningful work with international clients and volunteers.

Note: This post requires a valid right to work in the UK, a DBS check, and two satisfactory references
Holidays