Careers at Beacon

I have been working with Beacon since 2021, and what I value most about this service is how genuinely flexible and student-centred it is. From the feedback I receive from students, one of the biggest strengths is the flexibility of the support. There is a large team of mentors, which means students can often be matched with someone who fits around their availability, location and individual needs. Beacon also takes the student's course and subject area into consideration when making an allocation, so students are not simply given a mentor – they are matched with someone who can understand and support them in the context of their studies. I have also seen how much thought goes into making sure communication feels comfortable for each student. For example, as I am a Polish-speaking mentor, when Polish-speaking students are referred to Beacon, they are asked whether they would feel more comfortable working with a Polish mentor or an English-speaking mentor. This is a small thing, but it shows how much emphasis Beacon places on what works best for the individual student. For me, this is what makes Beacon different. The focus is not simply on providing support, but on finding the right support for each person. Having worked with Beacon for several years, I genuinely believe it offers one of the most flexible, accessible and student-centred forms of non-medical support available to students in the UK.

Working as a Specialist Mentor for Beacon has been one of the most rewarding roles of my career to date. The team at Beacon have such a thoughtful and caring attitude towards the students we support and for us in our roles. Nothing is too much trouble for them. I also feel very fortunate and privileged to work with students in my role as mentor and to assist them in navigating through their University journey. The sessions I have can be challenging and thought provoking, but also fun and enjoyable. I am always encouraged to hear the positive feedback from students who feel able to confide in me and gain the support needed to overcome various obstacles in their way. We set targets, goals and objectives together and it is a thoroughly rewarding position to be in when I see the confidence increase and the achievements grow.

I have been working with Beacon for the last 5 years. It is an excellent environment as you get to feel part of a team with a common goal, this being high standard of NMH service provision. Support, both on the role and in terms of staff/contractors well-being, is always available. Both the neurodiversity expertise which comes from lived experience and the free monthly CPD is making a massive difference in the quality of support we, as mentors and tutors are providing to the students, which makes the work incredibly rewarding.

I'd like to take a moment to extend my gratitude to the core management and admin team for their continuous support over the years. It truly makes a difference to work with people who are so approachable, supportive and clearly passionate about the work they do.

Working for Beacon is a privilege. That said, "working" isn't quite the correct word, more "passion" In my 6 years with Beacon, I have always felt valued, respected, heard, appreciated, trusted, empowered - the list could go on!