Special Education Assistant

We are looking for a motivated Special Education Assistant to join our community and professional team at Pukinmäenkaaren Comprehensive School to work in a class for intensive special support with students who have mild intellectual disabilities and autism, as well as in afternoon and holiday activities. We are seeking positive, proactive, and enthusiastic employees for substitute positions. You will work with a special education teacher and a school assistant. There are 8 students in the class. Two substitutes are open, one for primary school and one for secondary school. Due to medication tasks, please note the required eligibility. Your goal as a special education assistant is to guide and support the learner in different stages of the schooling and learning process. In addition to guiding during lessons, your duties include participating in recess supervision, physical education, and school swimming. After the school day, your workday continues at the school's afternoon club for children with intellectual disabilities and autism together with other assistants. During school holidays, we organize holiday activities for children with intellectual disabilities and autism. Students need guidance and supervision throughout the school day. Good situational awareness and a calm working style are keys to success. The work is physical and requires an encouraging approach, determination in problem situations, and good stress tolerance in changing and unexpected situations. Meeting the student as an individual and identifying their needs supports the student's schooling. It is important for the assistant to recognize moments of success and be able to verbalize them to the student. The work may involve care procedures such as the use of assistive devices, communication methods, toilet assistance, assistance in eating, use of a wheelchair, and changing diapers. Special education assistants are also responsible for the medication tasks of the entire school, for which training is provided as needed and a medication level supplement (60€/month) is paid. The supplement is paid from the moment the necessary medication permits are in force. Pukinmäenkaaren Comprehensive School is a unified comprehensive school with grades 1-9. Our school is the local school for children and youth in a diverse neighborhood. The school also has regional special classes and classes for intensive special support. The school is led by a principal and two deputy principals, and the supervisor for assistants is the service manager. A team leader also supports the assistants' work. The special education assistant is hired for 38 hours and 15 minutes per week. The position is full-time. The level salary is 2608.32 €, based on a working time of 38.25h/week. In addition, the salary includes possible supplements according to KVTES. The level salary may change according to expertise and responsibility level. Special education assistants are employed by the City of Helsinki's Education and Training Division. The place of work is determined based on the available school assistant resources at the time and may change annually. During school holidays, school assistants and special education assistants work in centralized holiday activities for disabled children. During holidays, the place of work may be another school in the City of Helsinki. Summer vacation is generally timed to the closure of holiday activities. We will invite some applicants to video interviews between August 19-23. Based on the video interviews, some applicants will be invited to a personal interview on August 28 or 31. If necessary, a reserve day for interviews is September 1. What does the City of Helsinki offer you? It is important to us that you can do impactful work for a good Helsinki life. We want you to succeed and be inspired in your work. We offer you diverse opportunities to grow and develop as a professional. According to the latest personnel survey, people enjoy working here and experience the work as meaningful! You will have access to the personnel benefits of Finland's largest employer, such as an Epassi Flex benefit of up to 550 euros for commuting as well as cultural, sports, and wellbeing services. Eligibility: Eligibility is a practical nurse degree or other suitable at least upper-secondary vocational qualification and medication administration rights. We require registration in Valvira's central register of professionals. Additionally, good oral and written skills in Finnish are required. Sufficient Finnish language skills will be verified at the latest during job interviews. The person hired for the position must provide a criminal record extract concerning the investigation of the criminal background of those working with children according to the Act (504/2002). Previous work experience with children with intellectual disabilities and autism as well as valid medication permits (LOVe) are considered an advantage. Knowledge of alternative communication methods is also considered an advantage.