We are looking for a volunteer to deliver weekly English conversation classes on a range of topics to young people with a range of abilities. If you have experience teaching spoken English to groups and are passionate about making a difference to the lives of young people, we would love to hear from you!

This volunteer role is unpaid, but expenses for travel to and from home can be covered.

Main tasks and responsibilities

The Volunteer ESOL Tutor is part of the NHYC Youth Work Team.

New Horizon provides a range of Youth Work opportunities for young people experiencing homelessness. As part of this, we aim to deliver a weekly group conversation class for young people looking to improve their spoken English. This role will involve delivering a weekly group English conversation class on a range of topics to young people with a range of abilities. Responsibilities include:

1. Working alongside the Jobs, Education and Training team to a deliver themed English conversation class on a range of relevant practical topics.
2. Tailoring sessions to a range of abilities, ensuring they are engaging, inclusive and accessible to all.
3. Planning creative, exciting and relevant sessions for young people attending.
4. Engaging young people from a range of backgrounds and levels of spoken English to participate in sessions and develop their oral communication skills and confidence.
5. Facilitating peer-support and learning.
6. Ensuring that any Health and Safety or safeguarding issues are addressed as a priority.
7. Communicating effectively with colleagues from across the organisation to ensure the smooth running of ESOL delivery.

Person specification

Essential skills, knowledge and experience

Here are the essential skills and experiences which we’re looking for in a Volunteer ESOL Tutor.

• Experience of planning and delivering interactive and engaging ESOL sessions on a 1-1 or group basis.
• Ability to work effectively with groups of people from a range of backgrounds and with diverse experiences and language levels.
• A genuine interest in helping young people make changes in their lives and move towards independence.
• Creativity and innovation, experienced and able to plan interesting and exciting sessions and think on your feet.
• A proactive nature, with the ability to work independently and take instructions.
• Able to work flexibly to adapt to the needs of young people or the service.
• A professional qualification in teaching English, for example ESOL/TEFL or equivalent.
• An excellent team player who can work alongside youth workers and staff.
• Excellent communication skills: able to communicate with a diverse staff team and the young people who come to the service.
• Understanding of the kinds of behaviour young people might demonstrate, and ability to understand this behaviour in a trauma-informed way.

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience

We’d love to hear from you if you also have these skills and experiences, but don’t worry if you don’t. These are the extras we’d really like!

• Previous experience working with vulnerable client groups such as children, vulnerable adults, refugees and asylum seekers, people experiencing homelessness or similar.
• Able to speak another language particularly those most common at our service - Arabic, Amharic, Tigrinya or Farsi.
• Experience working in youth centres or in youth work.
• Experience and knowledge around safeguarding policy and procedures for children and vulnerable adults.
• A working knowledge of and commitment to Diversity & Equality.
• As a significant proportion of the young people, we work with have refugee status, we particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience of claiming asylum in the UK.

Timescales and how to apply

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Application process

1. Complete the application form below
2. Upload your CV setting out your career history, education or qualifications, and other key responsibilities or achievements. DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR NAME OR INITIALS IN THE DOCUMENT FILE NAME
3. Write a brief cover letter / supporting statement covering the essential criteria (no more than 1 page or 800 words) highlighting your suitability for the role and why you want to volunteer at New Horizon Youth Centre. We recommend you work on this in another text file (such as Word) and copy and paste it into the Cover Letter box when you are ready to submit.

Shortlisted candidates will be informed within one month of their application. You will be notified if you have not been shortlisted. However, we are unfortunately unable to provide each individual application with feedback.

If you have any questions or would like to arrange a call to discuss the role, please feel free to email us at recruitment@nhyouthcentre.org.uk or call 0207 388 5560.

Click here to see the job pack in pdf format.