Job description
2 Outdoor Education Tutors– Part time/ full time positions available
The above posts represent an exciting opportunity for highly motivated individuals, with a love of the outdoors to express interest in joining our team, sharing their knowledge and skills in a primary school setting; and helping to shape the lives of children into the future.
We are offering 1-2 year fixed term contracts, both part time and full time. These positions will include 2-3 week’ of paid training, with work mostly coinciding with the Scottish academic year.
Employer: The Alba Explorers
Location: Tayside and Dundee, Scotland
Pay: £27,000 per annum
Contract date: August 2023 – August 2024
Company Overview
The Alba Explorers was founded by two brothers, Jordan and Joshua Lynch, on the back of a shared conviction; that the outdoors provides a superior environment for people of all ages to learn, and can have a profoundly positive impact on the well-being and quality of life to all. As a family business, The Alba Explorers believe in making meaningful experiences accessible through outdoor education.
We specialize in the creation and delivery of bespoke outdoor education for schools, teacher training sessions and dedicated outdoor spaces development for school grounds. Our goal is to ensure that students have character-building experiences, develop survival and outdoor knowledge, grow in social and emotional resilience, and ultimately, increase their respect and appetite for learning in the great outdoors!
We are expanding as a business and are looking for two individuals to join our tight-knit work family. We want the successful applicants to be driven and dedicated, and in return we are offering valuable opportunities to develop in outdoor education, along with shorter work days and other perks. These positions would be suitable for outdoor instructors and specialists, part time teachers, undergraduates or post graduates in ecology, conservation, education or similar, looking for experience, or those from other suitable outdoor professions.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
- To deliver quality outdoor and environmental education sessions, primarily to primary school students aged 4-11, primarily in the Angus and Dundee area
- To plan lessons, activities and content (assisted with the provision of materials from The Alba Explorers) tailored to the needs of schools
- To successfully facilitate team building and problem solving exercises (e.g., tasks designed to develop interpersonal skills, lateral thinking, mindfulness, spatial awareness etc.)
- To monitor the progression and improvement of individual pupils in groups, providing brief initial, regular and final assessments throughout the term
- To responsibly ensure a safe and low risk environment for students participating in outdoor learning activities
- To undertake sessions and activity-based risk assessments in line with company guidance
- To complete brief daily work records, weekly mileage sheets and facilitate the delivery of awards such as John Muir
- To facilitate practical activities of a sometimes arduous nature, such as pond-digging, coppicing trees and moving appropriately-sized rocks.
- In the unlikely event of an injury, i.e., a small burn or cut, to deliver first aid and record the incident appropriately using company forms
- Protect and maintain company equipment provided to you i.e. flint & steel sets, fire bowls and tools
- Establishing and maintaining strong working relationships with school management and staff
- Potential opportunity to drive a minibus, taking children offsite for hikes and other activities
- Share your love and passion for the great outdoors, encouraging and inspiring the rising generations!
Selection Criteria: Experience and Qualifications
- Degree OR 3+ years of experience in a selection of the following: ecology; outdoor activities; teaching; primary education; Bushcraft and Survival; conservation or related fields
- Essential: Up to date First Aid certificate
- Essential: Experience of working with children or groups
- Essential: driven and motivated work ethic
- Outdoor qualifications (eg. Mountain Leader, Woodland Leader, Bushcraft etc)
Skills & Knowledge
- Basic outdoor skills (e.g., fire lighting and safety skills, outdoor cooking, map reading and navigation, survival skills, rope and tool use, shelter construction).
- Ecology the candidate must have a good knowledge of and be conversant with basic ecological principles (e.g., foraging and tree and plant identification)
- Conservation; environmental awareness and management; outdoor adventure activities
Location
- It is preferred, but not essential that successful candidates should reside within 50 miles of Forfar, Angus. The successful candidates cannot be late for sessions as they will be the lead or sole instructor, and so proximity to schools is an essential factor
Legal Documents
- Evidence of the right to work in Scotland
- A full driving licence
- As part of our commitment to safeguarding, the successful applicant will be required to become a member of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Scheme if not already a member, and the appointment will be subject to a satisfactory PVG Scheme Disclosure (funded by TAE).
- Applicants may be required to drive a minibus, and so previous training / licensing in this area is beneficial
Benefits and Pay
- Days begin around 09:00 and finish at 15:30, with approximately 1 hour of breaks. This means a 5 hour day of direct tutoring. Out of hours’ session preparations will be needed to ensure readiness for session delivery each day.
- The position includes paid training prior to commencing lone session delivery (09:00-16:30).
- Following the completion of training and the first full self-led year by the successful applicant(s), opportunities for increased pay increments will be discussed
- Expenses; fuel is paid to and from school premises after training has been completed. This is capped at £27 per day maximum and is included in the salary as a non-taxable reimbursement.
- The successful applicant will not be required to work during the majority of school holidays, meaning around 10 weeks of the year they will be free to do other things/ contracts and jobs
- Generous amount of training and shadowing will be provided to support professional and personal development; some further certifications and qualifications may be funded
- Uniform; high quality outdoor logoed uniform items will be provided.
How to Apply:
Please send your CV and expression of interest letter to: [removed]. Please let us know a little about yourself in your letter; what interests you about the outdoors and what are your dreams and goals for the future? Do not worry about an overly formal cover letter - just tell us what you want to tell us, how you want to say it.
Successful applicants will be invited for a practical group session with Joshua and Jordan Lynch, as well as a formal interview with Hannah and Leah Lynch. Unsuccessful applicants will also receive a notification email and feedback.
Previous applicants are warmly welcome to reapply.
Should you have any enquiries or would like to discuss the role informally, please call us on 07944 997474 or 07491 958121.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind. We are seeking to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people to inspire future generations outdoors. Any hiring decisions, promotion opportunities, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs only.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 12-24 months
Part-time hours: 35 per week
Salary: £27,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Additional leave
- Company pension
Schedule:
- Monday to Friday
Supplemental pay types:
- Performance bonus
COVID-19 considerations:
Masks may be required depending on school policies
Work Location: One location
Application deadline: 08/04/2023
Reference ID: TAE006-2022
Expected start date: 10/08/2023