Trainee DSA Needs Assessor

Job Description

Job Title : Trainee DSA Needs Assessor

Start Date : 24 / 02 / 2025

Duration : Temporary to Permanent

Hours : 37.5 hours, Monday to Friday

Location : Lincoln Area

This is a hybrid role and travel will be required when assessors need to meet with clients face to face.

Job purpose :

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Needs Assessor to join our new team of in-house Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) assessors at Capita.

Capita has been appointed by Student Loans Company (SLC) to supply Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) services in East England, the Midlands, London, and Wales.

Capita is working closely with SLC to build a new digital journey to ensure that students benefit a seamless experience, which will mean their needs are met faster. We will provide a single point of contact for around 30,000 university students each year, carrying out a range of services, from initial needs assessment, to sourcing better value, higher quality, equipment, training students to use the technology and providing on-going after care.

Capita has been supplying needs assessments for DSA since 2005 under our Contact Associates brand and over that time, have assessed over 75,000 students and supported them on their learning journeys.

About the Role :

This role will be part of a team of in-house Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) Needs Assessors. It will involve preparing for and undertaking Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) needs assessment meetings and completing Needs Assessment Reports for students in Higher Education who are in receipt of Disabled Students' Allowances in accordance with the appropriate regulations, timeframes, and guidance.

Key activities and responsibilities :

• Undertake technical needs assessments of people with the full range of disabilities as specified by the Equality Act (2007) in accordance with the Department for Education regulations, equality legislation, the requirements of student funding bodies and the appropriate Quality Assurance Framework.
• Work with higher education students to identify appropriate study and support strategies to enable the individual to participate in their study activities. This includes, but is not limited to students with Specific learning difficulties (SpLDs) - Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, AD(H)D, Dyscalculia; Autistic spectrum conditions (ASCs); Mental health difficulties; Long standing illness / health conditions; as well as students who are Blind / visually impaired and Deaf / hard of hearing.
• Demonstrate, evaluate the suitability of, and offer advice on appropriate hardware, software, assistive technology and other aids for each individual.
• Produce formal written needs assessment reports in the format and timescale laid down by Contact Associates for relevant parties including disabled people, funding agencies, suppliers and institutions, making recommendations for study aids and study strategies.
• Liaise with internal and external agencies in order to complete reports and to ensure relevant support is recommended.

Key Skills :

All applications will be subject to pre-employment and referencing checks, inclusive of paid for DBS.

Blue Arrow is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to helping find great work opportunities for great people.