FAQs
HOW CLOSE DO I NEED TO LIVE?
We advise living within a 45-minute commute of the centre you are working at and ideally within 30 minutes. The action-packed nature of the shifts at Robinwood can make a lengthy commute a very tiring day. It is important to us that our staff have considered this and the impact this could have on their wellbeing.
- Maes y Nant is a short commute by car from Wrexham and within a 25-minute cycle for those preferring pedal power. Your own mode of transport is recommended for this centre, though not essential.
- Dobroyd Castle sits above the town of Todmorden and is easily commutable by foot or car. Though public transport is readily available to Todmorden, our shift patterns do not always align with timetables, making it difficult to rely on.
- The ability to drive and owning a vehicle is essential for working at Barhaugh Hall, as the centre is located outside of a town with no public transport running near it.
We also offer a re-location grant, of £2,000 to support high quality applicants that relocate to join our team, which means an additional £2,000 is included in the first months’ pay.
Being awarded a re-location grant is dependent on performance within the selection process, and the needs of each Robinwood Centre.
We currently have re-location grants available for new starters appointed to start at Barhaugh Hall, Alston, Cumbria.
IS ACCOMMODATION PROVIDED?
Whilst we don’t provide accommodation, we are fortunate that all our centres are located in areas where there is generally a reasonable amount of affordable rental properties. We have a Facebook and/or WhatsApp group for new starters where staff can get in contact with each other and discuss housing arrangements before starting, and there are also dedicated members of our current team who can help with any housing issues. We find that it’s much better for overall work-life balance for staff not to live on site.
Taking account of the year-round employment, great career development and wonderful place to work that we offer, many of our current team have worked with us for 10 years or more. We are keen for people to stay with us long term and when doing this, most people appreciate their own place to go home to in preference to rented accommodation on centre. Many have taken advantage of our house purchase assistance scheme, to help them get their foot on the housing ladder.
WHAT HOURS WILL I BE WORKING?
All new starters begin on a 30 hour per week contract, with their normal working week after induction training being 4 days. We use an annualised hours system to ensure that you receive a consistent monthly wage, regardless of differences in your monthly work hours. Your permanent, year-round contract provides financial stability, helping you plan for the future.
Barhaugh Hall and Maes y Nant operate Monday to Friday, so all staff work those days. Dobroyd Castle operates 7 days a week so staff are either on a Mon-Fri contract or a Wed-Sun contract. Everybody does one group lead a week (a core duty) which involves running all the activities for their group, then the other days are timetabled for shifts like bedtimes and wake-up duties, site work or catering.
Group Lead / Core Shift:
This shift is where the Group Leader takes their group of children on every activity over the 3 days.
Example Shift Times: Day 1: 9.15am-8.45pm. Day 2: 8.30am-8.45pm. Day 3: 8.30am-3.30pm.
Support shifts take place on an ‘extra’ day which is a day in the staff members’ working week that isn’t their core shift. There are a variety of support shifts that a Group Leader could be timetabled for.
WHAT IS THE PAY?
HOW DOES THE SELECTION PROCESS WORK?
DO I GET A PERMANENT CONTRACT?
Yes! All staff at Robinwood are on permanent contracts, and we are keen for you to stay with us long term! Due to the investment in training and support, we ask everybody to commit to staying for a minimum of 18 months.
DO I HAVE TO STAY OVERNIGHT?
Not unless you choose to! After probation, you can apply to be part of our trained Nights team, and if successful, you are paid an extra £1.20 per hour for every hour worked on Nights.
Night shifts are typically 8.30 pm till 8.30 am and are done in blocks of either 2 or 4 nights.