The young man has a number of learning and behavioural challenges that have contributed to a downward spiral of poor academic performance and corresponding behavioural compensations. He has mild and medically controlled Tourette’s syndrome, anxiety, attention, and self-confidence issues. Although not confirmed clinically, he has some of the symptoms of depression. He has taught himself, and with the help of appropriate medication, how to manage his Tourette’s. In conversation over a short period with a stranger, there are no signs of it at all, and he comes across as a personable, if somewhat disheartened, young man. In school, however, where he feels the social stigma of his condition affects the quality of his relationships, the effort required to manage his condition over longer periods or with people who know him better is significant and he has naturally sought out ways to minimise this stress. Such behaviours include smoking cigarettes and the regular use of marijuana.

He is technically a Junior in high school but has been increasingly reluctant to attend class. In addition, there have been some worrying escalations of some of his behaviour at home. This culminated with his parents taking the difficult decision to enroll their son in a residential wilderness programme. This programme, based in Hawaii, is not punitive. It gently helps young people gain the skills they need to lead physically and emotionally healthy lifestyles, and to manage the stresses in their lives so that they remain healthy after leaving.

He will be in Hawaii until somewhere between mid-April and mid-May. The exact date of his graduation from this program will not be known until nearer the time. His parents are working with an experienced Educational Consultant near their home, and with Tutors International, to explore the options available after he leaves the wilderness programme. There are a number of options being considered, and this list remains in flux. One thing is known for sure: his parents would like to him graduate High School with a grade average that makes it possible to apply to a good College. This will require the full time support of a carefully selected private tutor/mentor to work with him, either at home in Connecticut or in an alternative location away from past triggers such as inappropriate social influences and even his customary physical environment. In this way, he will be able finish his schooling within the overall continued framework of healthy lifestyle decisions.

Although he is not currently interested in school, he does have one absorbing passion: modifying cars. He has already done a good deal of work on his own car and has a number of plans for the next upgrades he would like to make. When it comes to modding, he puts in a huge amount of effort and care researching the parts he needs. He is enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and animated when describing what he has already done, and he adjusts the level of detail he provides depending on his audience. This provides a perfect vehicle for a creative Tutor who shares this passion for cars to build a more academic interest. For example, the physics and math involved in the detailed workings of cars may be a route into rekindling an academic interest. He also loves to snowboard and it would be an advantage if the Tutor shared this interest too.

There are several facets to the Tutor’s role in this position. Primarily the Tutor will work with the student during the day in a schooling capacity. It will take time to establish a relationship from which academics will emerge, and so the Tutor will need to be sensitive to the circumstances that surround this role. There will be a fine line between allowing the student the freedom to continue his recovery and gently exercising enough pressure to alter his course. As the trust relationship builds, it is expected that the Tutor will be able gradually to increase his influence and steer him back onto a more conventional path.

With this in mind, the current plan is that once the student finishes at the wilderness centre, he will be enrolled in an online program that he can follow with his Tutor at a pace that suits the situation as it evolves. This will allow him and his Tutor to choose the courses that they wish to follow, and against a more flexible timeframe. The program may even allow the Tutor to design courses specifically for him. For example, if a course about automotive engineering were to be approved, he could take the course through the online program and earn credit towards graduation.

This position is not confined to working with the student. The role also involves working cooperatively and closely with his parents, helping them to enforce their boundaries and limiting the controlling behaviours of their son. He has come to learn that if he makes enough of a fuss, he can get what he wants from his parents, and while they do not want this to continue, they need support to develop strategies to be able to maintain their authority when under pressure from their son. Here again, his modding passion lends itself to the cause — the parts and their installation are expensive and funds for this need to come from his parents. This provides the Tutor with a good platform from which to develop a variety of circumstances that reward and thereby encourage the preferred behaviours.

The formal timetable is yet to be established, and will likely be subject to change as the role evolves. At the outset the plan is to follow the structure of a normal school day. This is initially likely to be largely revision, retaking courses already finished at school (where possible) to increase grades and therefore GPA. The student will probably start with a reduced course load, and may prefer to take courses one or a two at a time, finishing these completely before starting another, or he may prefer to stagger the start of the courses — such variation is no problem at all within the distance-learning program. Early on, it is expected that he will tire quickly and, if based in Greenwich, be reluctant to work when he could be with his friends. It is expected that the working relationship with the Tutor will gradually moderate this, and his desires to do well academically will gradually improve. Over time, it is hoped that a more typical work-study-play routine will be established.

It is also been suggested, although once again without any firm details, that he and the Tutor may go travelling together from time to time, perhaps in Europe or farther afield. The online program would facilitate the continuance of schooling wherever he and his Tutor may be. The broadening of experiences would certainly play a positive role in developing his ambitions while putting some distance, both physical and metaphorical, between him and his current choices.

Although it is a contractual requirement for the Tutor to provide weekly reports to Tutors International and to keep in close contact between these reports as necessary, this will be especially important in this role. In addition to the Tutor’s contractual responsibilities at this level will be the need for close collaboration and frequent discussion with his parents and with their local Educational Consultant to ensure that all adults responsible for his wellbeing are sharing their information, experience and best practice.

The details of a daily schedule will need to be developed once the role starts, but a general framework has been discussed above. The Tutor should expect weekends off except when travelling, and time off in lieu for such travel time.

The Client will provide any meals for the Tutor that occur during teaching times. The Tutor is entitled to a minimum of the standard paid vacation as outlined in the Terms.

The Client will be responsible for the Tutor’s full expenses arising from any travel required for the position throughout the contract term. A car, or suitable alternative arrangements, will be provided for the Tutor in all locations. If the Tutor has his own car, then the Client will reimburse the Tutor for all work-related driving at $1 USD per mile. The Tutor will need to have a clean driving license.

The client will provide suitable furnished accommodation with Internet near the family home. The Tutor will be responsible for any phone charges not related to their work. The Client will provide a designated learning space at their home that will serve as the classroom.

The Tutor should be a non-smoker, lead a physically active lifestyle, and be healthy and fit.