House Mum / Matron

Job Description

Ambition Racing is a team of children living away from home in order to train for their sport; Alpine Ski Racing. Based in Leogang / Austria, the young athletes commit to a core programme of 8-10 weeks, but have the option to add additional weeks to their training programme. While they live out in Austria, they have to attend school in the afternoons whilst their ski training takes place in the mornings.

Maximum number in team: 30 athletes  Age: 10 years - 18 years, boys and girls

Duties of the House-Mum

Prior to the camp

• Communicate with parents with regard to medical, social, psychological issues the child may have, especially if children stay away from home for first time.
• Collect medical forms before camps start, familiarize yourself with it, be prepared for medical issues, inform the chef if special dietary needs are required (chef should know this in advance to plan menu).
• First Aid box: maintain & update first aid box

Arrival day

• Welcome children, settle them into their rooms, assist the 9-12 age group with unpacking and organising their belongings. Make sure to speak to all the children.
• Collect passports, E111 cards, medication, travel documents for return journey.
• Complete registration forms and hand them in with the council.

Camp-Days

• If less than 15 people are in the house, (this does include staff and other guests) than the house mum has to prepare breakfast at the times requested by the coaches.
• Make sure all children eat healthy for breakfast, before children leave the house remind them of their water bottles and cereal bars.
• Age - group 9-12 and children on a camp for 1st time: go with them through checklist of what they need on mountain.
• Wash dishes and leave kitchen tidy and clean.
• Tidy breakfast room and empty bins.
• Athletes - Rooms: Daily: open windows, empty bins, make sure toilettes and sink are clean. For age group 9-12, make their beds and hang up towels.
• Prepare snack for school
• Bed Times: House mum is in charge of bed times and lights out rules, see all children before lights out, make sure they feel good, with age-group 9-12 remind them to pack bags for next day in evening, help them to identify their dirty laundry, remind them of hygiene.
• Be around when children are in the house, make sure to build up a relationship with them, be aware if there is a crisis or problem. Show your presence, be interested in their day and in their sport.
• While children are skiing, be on stand-by, ready to drop what ever you are doing, in case of an accident. In case of an accident or illness, the child has to be picked up from where ever and taken care of. Ill or injured children have absolute priority. The house mum has to accompany them to hospital, doctors, physio etc. She is also in charge of medication. In case children have to stay home and can't go to school or training, she has to stay with them, 'nurse' and entertain them and prepare their lunches etc.
• Meal times
  The house mum needs to eat with the children (sitting with them on a table) encourage healthy eating, educating the young athletes towards healthy nutrition needed by an athlete.
  Social interaction
• For the children the house mum should be the person they can always come to with problems, issues within the team or the coaches, home sickness, etc. The house mum needs to love to be around children, care for them, listen and support them.
• On the children's Day Off she should come up with creative ideas to entertain and encourage them to spend an exciting day off the piste.
• During an optional week, the house mum's day will come up to 6-8 hours per day, but during a core week this may increase to 12 or more hours. In case of a sudden accident or illness, she is always on duty. There is no set working hours. This is why the love for children and the responsibility for them is the main criteria for this job.
• The house mum is in charge for the wellbeing of the children, if it comes to health or wellbeing issues, it is her responsibility to address an issue to the parents or the coaches/teachers. She is working closely together with the coaches and teachers and she has to make sure that she can be contacted by the parents.

Job requirements:

• Minimum age 25, certificate in childcare or matron, references of previous jobs
• Experience/references:
• Must have worked with children living away from home,
• Must have experience with large groups, both sexes, age group 10-18 years
• Ability to make clear decisions and to work efficient and calm in case of emergency, being used to bear responsibility
• Clean driving license
• Must enjoy and be curious to live in another country, must be open to different and new daily life situations.
• Even only basic knowledge of German would be an advantage.
• Ready to identify herself with the job.
• Ready to put herself second and the children always first.
• Understanding that sometimes free time will be rare, especially in the 8-10 core weeks.
• Willing to travel with team to races.

She has to report to: the Head Coach of Ambition and the owner of Haus Tirol and to the house manager.
Trial period: October camp 2014
Salary per month: £1400 Gross through the Aspire Racing Payroll.

Applications should be made to;

Marc Telling & Monika Kimmich

marc@ambitionracing.co.uk / monika.kimmich@hotmail.co.uk

Please include a covering letter as to why you suit the role along with a copy of your CV. We will then contact suitable applicants to set up individual meetings.

Applicants should note that there may be a practical element of the process where they are 'trailed' in the role during our October half term weeks (18th October - 2nd November).