We currently have several Trainee Habilitation Specialist vacancies advertised. Please only submit one application; this should be to your preferred location. If invited to interview, you will be given the opportunity to express interest in other locations.

As this role requires an Enhanced Disclosure check job offers will be subject to the receipt of a satisfactory check.

As a Trainee Habilitation Specialist, you will contribute, as a full-time member of staff, to the services delivered by the Belfast team whilst successfully completing all elements of the 2-year Graduate Diploma in Habilitation and Disabilities of Sight (Children and Young People).

The content of the training will be covered through a mix of on the job, and off the job training.

On the job training will be provided by Guide Dogs as part of the habilitation team in the role of Trainee Habilitation Specialist. Off the job training will be covered by the University course, delivered by University College London (UCL), key details of which are below.

This role comes with a starting salary of £22,000, upon successful completion of the first year of the UCL course your salary will increase to £27,564. Following successful completion of the second year the fully qualified Habilitation Specialist starting salary is £33,129.

University College London Course key dates: 

Application deadline date (if successful, applications must be made to UCL by this date): 30th June 2023

Course dates: UCL Starting in September 2023, 2-year course.

Successful applicants will be required to apply to, and be accepted by, University College London for Graduate Diploma in Habilitation and Disabilities of Sight (Children and Young People) course. 

The applications need to be submitted after a job offer has been made and accepted and before 30th June to increase the chance of gaining a place on the course. Places on the University course are limited for the September 2023 start date and offers will be made on a first-come, first-served basis. Positions are not held back for Guide Dogs employees.

More information on the course can be found here: 

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/courses/graduate-taught/habilitation-disabilities-sight-children-young-people-graddip-specialist

Note: Guide Dogs will pay the tuition fees as part of the position of Trainee Habilitation Specialist.

Please refer to the recruitment pack below for more information on the training and University course.

We cannot provide sponsorship for the role.

We reserve the right to close adverts earlier than the closing date.

Applications need to be made using the online application form, accessed using the ‘apply’ button above. As part of your application, ensure you provide evidence and examples of how your skills & experience meet the criteria set out in the attached job description. 

The system does have a time limit, and we would advise you to complete your answers and copy and paste them into the online form once finalised. Please note that you’ll have to upload a CV as this is a mandatory requirement as part of our Safer Recruitment Policy.

Guide Dogs follow Safer Recruitment practices to ensure we are safeguarding the vulnerable people we work with. As part of this, we require a full work history with any gaps accounted for & a minimum of 2 professional referee details fully covering the past 5 years. If there is not enough space in your application form to provide this information, please ensure you upload additional documentation containing the additional detail.

In your application, you will need to evidence, using specific examples, how your skills and experience meet the criteria laid out in the person specification within the Job Description below. Requirements include.

The ideal candidate will:

• Be familiar with working with children and young people and a proven ability to establish effective working relationships with them and their parents or carers. 
• 
  Be committed to multi-agency working and can demonstrate a strong ability to liaise effectively with other professionals / agencies.
• 
  Have access to a car or alternative suitable transport arrangements. 

Please note job offers will be subject to acceptance onto the University College London for Graduate Diploma in Habilitation and Disabilities of Sight (Children and Young People) course.

We will be holding a Habilitation Specialist Information Evening. This will be held on Thursday the 9th of March at 7pm, the link for registering for the event is: 

https://guidedogs.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAudOioqzIrEtz19lzXRC_ijHrIOjYorWAh

Diversity 

Guide Dogs welcomes applications from all sections of the community and actively encourages diversity to maximise achievements, creativity and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability or nationality. We encourage applications from disabled people as they are currently under-represented in the organisation and guarantee an invite to interview for all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job.

Safeguarding 

Guide Dogs is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, young people and adults at risk of harm with whom we work. We expect all our employees and volunteers to fully share this commitment.