Services [quality] Committee co-optee

The opportunity

Queen Alexandra Charity is pleased to offer you the chance to help ensure that the quality of our college, community services and supported living provision is as it should be, or better.  As a co-optee to our Services Committee, you can help ensure that our students and clients receive the best support possible and we comply with requirements.

The commitment

At present, the Services Committee meets four times each year, for up to three hours each time.  While we keep timing under review in the light of changing membership, this year's meetings have started at 2.00pm and all of them have been virtual.  Of course, you would also need to prepare for meetings by reading papers.  Co-optees also attend annual appraisal and are invited to our annual governance strategy days.   For these roles, how far away you live from us is not important over time.  However, we know that you would want to come on site at least at the start, to get to know us and what we do.  

What we are seeking

We seek interest from people who can digest sometimes large amounts of reading and challenge the executive, and governing colleagues, on whether we are performign as well as we should.  So as well as being analytical, applicants will need the necessary confidence to contribute during meetings actively and, sometimes, to defend their viewpoint.  We welcome anyone with these skills but, right now, but we especially need to add to our expertise in education (especially specialist further education) and care.

The Queen Alexandra Charity, Birmingham

In addition to community services and supported living for adults, we run the Queen Alexandra College with 480 specialist further education places for people who have a diverse range of abilities and plans to grow to 700.  Please look us up on

www.qac.ac.ukfor more information.

Is this role right for you?

Being a co-optee brings a commitment that is much more limited than that for trustees/governors.  If you are looking to gain experience in governance, but have limited time, this may be the manageable role that you're looking for, through which you can have a major impact as part of a rigorous, but friendly, team.

Get in touch

Please contact Paul Walker, our Director of Governance, with any initial queries.  At that time, we can arrange a chat with other key people and/r a visit to us if that would be helpful.  Telephone 07515 760020.  Email governance@qac.ac.uk 

Key Responsibilities

Attending Governance meetings. Please see attached schedule. 

Why work at Queen Alexandra Charity Birmingham

Join our team at Queen Alexandra College!

Are you passionate about making a difference to the lives of students with special educational needs? Do you thrive in an inclusive and supportive academic environment? If so, we want YOU to join our team. QAC has just gone through an exciting rebrand, dealt with a period of swift growth and academic improvement and this is your opportunity to become part of a vibrant College that is moving forward and making a real difference to the lives and futures of our students.  

The newly structured Queen Alexandra Charity Birmingham offers you the chance to have a positive impact as you join a committed group of colleagues in ensuring that all students achieve their aims and aspirations. We are dedicated to providing exceptional education and support to students with diverse learning needs and life experiences. Our specialist setting fosters an inclusive community where every student is valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential. 

QAC offers a vibrant, varied and enriching educational experience for both residential and day students. Our curriculum aims to maximise adult life, independence and work opportunities for all students. Class sizes are designed to meet specific needs and support levels are high. 

Our benefits include;

Our benefits include;

Schedule 1 Benefits (reviewed annually and/or as appropriate)

Academic Year 2024/25

• Access to on site car parking
• Use of QAC Fitness Centre (subject to opening hours)
• Cycle to Work Scheme (Salary Sacrifice)
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme Helpline (BHSF)
• Access to Education Support Free Helpline for Teachers & Education Staff
• QAC Mental Health First Aiders & activities to support health and wellbeing
• BHSF Benefits Package including Healthcare Plans, discounted shopping/services
• Annual Flu vaccination/voucher
• Access to other benefit/discount schemes (which may be subject to charge) e.g. Blue Light Card, TOTUM (NUS), Charity Worker Discounts, Discounts for Teachers
• Dell Advantage programme - a free programme that offers savings to students, parents and all staff at QAC - up to 20% off. https://www.dell.com/en-uk/lp/dell-advantage
• Health and Wellbeing Services (Occupational Health/Counselling)
• Free Tea/Coffee and Staff Room facilities
• Dining Room facilities with hot/cold food (free meal provided for those supporting students at mealtimes)
• Additional discretionary concessionary/closure days as part of leave entitlement (including closure over Christmas/New Year period)
• Reward and Recognition Policy – Living the Values Awards (team & individual) and long service
• Enhanced/Occupational paid leave e.g. maternity/paternity (subject to qualifying criteria)
• Occupational sick pay (based on length of service)
• On site wellbeing activities (e.g. yoga, meditation)
• Support for training/ CPD (either by way of study leave and/or funding)
• Flexible working arrangements including Flexible Working Policy Agreements, Time Off in Lieu (TOIL) in prior agreement with line manager.

This list is not exhaustive and may be subject to review and/or change.

We look forward to receiving your application and knowing more about your qualifications, skills,
personal qualities and experience that you would bring to the role and to QAC. Please take time to review the job description above.

Please upload a CV/Resume* with details of your full employment history (since leaving school,
including education, employment and voluntary work) including reasons for any gaps in
employment. This should also include a statement of the personal qualities and experience you
believe are relevant to your suitability for the post and how this meets the job description and
person specification requirements. Your CV/Resume* will be re-produced in a standard format by
the system (without personal identifiers) to assist us in our anonymised shortlisting process.
Under Section 7 of SVGA 2006 it is an offence to apply for the role if the applicant is barred from
engaging in regulated activity relevant to children. The College's Safeguarding Policies are
available

As part of our commitment to safer recruitment, and in line with updated guidance published in
September 2022, we will carry out an online search of all shortlisted candidates. This search may
enable us to identify any incidents or issues that have happened, and publicly available for review online, which we may wish to explore with you in further detail during the interview process. As part of your application we have asked you to provide the account names, usernames and/or handles for any social media platform that you use, as well as the names of any websites that you own, post on, or contribute to. A Google search will also be conducted. These checks will only be conducted if you are shortlisted for interview. Please see our safer recruitment and selection policy for further information.

We look forward to receiving your application and knowing more about your qualifications, skills,

personal qualities and experience that you would bring to the role and to QAC. Please take time to review the job description above.

Please upload a CV/Resume* with details of your full employment history (since leaving school,

including education, employment and voluntary work) including reasons for any gaps in

employment. This should also include a statement of the personal qualities and experience you

believe are relevant to your suitability for the post and how this meets the job description and

person specification requirements. Your CV/Resume* will be re-produced in a standard format by

the system (without personal identifiers) to assist us in our anonymised shortlisting process.

Under Section 7 of SVGA 2006 it is an offence to apply for the role if the applicant is barred from

engaging in regulated activity relevant to children. The College's Safeguarding Policies are

available

here

As part of our commitment to safer recruitment, and in line with updated guidance published in

September 2022, we will carry out an online search of all shortlisted candidates. This search may

enable us to identify any incidents or issues that have happened, and publicly available for review online, which we may wish to explore with you in further detail during the interview process. As part of your application we have asked you to provide the account names, usernames and/or handles for any social media platform that you use, as well as the names of any websites that you own, post on, or contribute to. A Google search will also be conducted. These checks will only be conducted if you are shortlisted for interview. Please see our safer recruitment and selection policy for further information.

About Queen Alexandra Charity

Queen Alexandra Charity (QAC) provides education, residential support, community services and enterprises in support of young adults with learning difficulties and disabilities.  

Education is provided through a national residential College that supports a diverse range of student/client abilities and needs. Our College provides education, training, routes to independent living and employment through an innovative, holistic approach to learning and support. It offers a vibrant, varied and fun educational experience for both residential and day students. Our curriculum aims to maximise adult life, independence and work opportunities for all students. Class sizes are small and support levels high.

We have educational and learning sites based in Birmingham, one of Europe’s most welcoming and vibrant cities, with a rich and diverse culture. Our main site is based in Harborne, a pleasant leafy Birmingham suburb, on a friendly and green 8-acre campus with excellent facilities and resources. In addition we also have Pinewood Campus which is located on a business park and is designated to employment progression.

Clients within our Residential Services programme still require support and the aim is to deliver a service that provides them with the means to live independently/semi independently into the future. Many clients are either in education, voluntary work or paid employment not linked to QAC directly.

Our Community Services based at our Umberslade Campus in Stirchley include a supporter worker service, women's group, men's group, LGBTQ plus group, Saturday Socials, The Night Owl Experience (disability friendly night club visit in Birmingham City Centre).

Education is provided through a national residential College that supports a diverse range of student/client abilities and needs. Our College provides education, training, routes to independent living and employment through an innovative, holistic approach to learning and support. It offers a vibrant, varied and fun educational experience for both residential and day students. Our curriculum aims to maximise adult life, independence and work opportunities for all students. Class sizes are small and support levels high.

We have educational and learning sites based in Birmingham, one of Europe’s most welcoming and vibrant cities, with a rich and diverse culture. Our main site is based in Harborne, a pleasant leafy Birmingham suburb, on a friendly and green 8-acre campus with excellent facilities and resources. In addition we also have Pinewood Campus which is located on a business park and is designated to employment progression.

Clients within our Residential Services programme still require support and the aim is to deliver a service that provides them with the means to live independently/semi independently into the future. Many clients are either in education, voluntary work or paid employment not linked to QAC directly.

Our Community Services based at our Umberslade Campus in Stirchley include a supporter worker service, women's group, men's group, LGBTQ plus group, Saturday Socials, The Night Owl Experience (disability friendly night club visit in Birmingham City Centre).

All students, clients and staff are supported within safe and well-resourced environments. 
 
QAC makes a positive difference to the lives and learning of people with disabilities and learning difficulties. We have high expectations of staff, students and clients whilst being responsive, innovative and collaborative. Our Charity values drive how we work with students, clients, stakeholders and as a team.

QAC makes a positive difference to the lives and learning of people with disabilities and learning difficulties. We have high expectations of staff, students and clients whilst being responsive, innovative and collaborative. Our Charity values drive how we work with students, clients, stakeholders and as a team.

We continue to attract and retain staff of the highest calibre, who are proud of QAC’s achievements and who wish to be an integral part of ongoing and future successes. 

As Leaders in Diversity which drives the culture at QAC and we warmly welcome applications from individuals who share our values, from all backgrounds, to add to our committed and diverse team. 

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