Student Support and Peer Mentoring:

1. Student Support and Peer Mentoring: Alison Griffin Dr Julia Townshend

2. Student Support and Mentoring Service The service aims to provide: Information Guidance Reassurance Support Enhancement of student well-being Improvement in retention rates

3. Skills Required What skills do you need to be a successful mentor? • Sensitivity to issues surrounding widening participation. • Good interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate with people openly and non-judgementally. • The ability to accept different points of view. • Effective time management. Mentors need to organise their time effectively to ensure that they arrive on time for events or meetings. • Respect for an individual’s abilities and their right to make their own choices in life. • Excellent listening skills. Mentors should be able to ask thoughtful questions, and give their mentee the opportunity to explore their own thoughts. • Ability to empathise with another person's struggles. Even without having had the same life experiences. • Flexibility, patience and openness. Good Mentors recognise that communication is a two-way process.

4. Mentors do not replace the role of: • Parent/Guardian • Lecturer • Social worker • Counsellor   • Careers tutor • Mentors complement the work of these professionals.

5. Learning Theory Communities of practice (Lave & Wenger, 1998) • Model of situated learning • Social learning (Bandura, 1977) • Collective learning • Active participation

6. Mentee Feedback • ‘I found the mentoring service extremely supportive and encouraging - including the emotional support when I felt insecure about my ability to hand in my first assignment. As a mature student with dyslexia I still feel challenged, but not so afraid of the outcome. There is help available. It’s just knowing how and where to access it’ • ‘Since starting university back in October this year, I have met with my mentor numerous times and have found her very helpful and encouraging. She has helped me through several concerns and pointed me in the right direction. When I have been stressed out, contemplating leaving at one point, the student mentoring service helped me, by encouraging me and pointing me in the direction of others that could help’

7. Mentee Feedback The support system allowed me to go to someone who had been in a similar situation to me, and therefore could relate to my issues in a more successful way, compared to if I had gone to a lecturer. After my meeting, I felt a lot better about my report, and was no longer fearful or scared.

8. Benefits A structured and supported peer mentoring programme is considered potentially beneficial for both the ‘mentees’ (the first year students) and the ‘mentors’ (the second/third year students). There are a number of potential benefits for mentors (Goodlad, 1995): • Develop personal qualities that are important in life and to future employers, including commitment, responsibility and self-confidence. • Reinforce their knowledge of the subject matter. • Develop communication skills. • The potential for recognition, within the subject area, in terms of credit/accreditation.

9. Mentor Feedback As a first year student she was very anxious and lacked total confidence because of the new environment, pressure and being away from home. After a few discussions it was clear that she had forgotten her own abilities and potential in getting as far as university level. I felt positive about being able to share my student experience and realised that others encounter similar issues as I do. I noticed that by giving advice I was learning about my own strengths and weaknesses. …the role of the mentor has improved my confidence as well because I’ve noticed that the insecurities I used to have in my first year were easily manageable. This now helps me put the right perspective on the new doubts that are occurring in my second year.

10. Mentor Feedback I noticed that by giving advice I was learning about my own strengths and weaknesses. I have also received positive written feedback from my mentee which really made my day!! …it has been a joy to watch my mentees succeed in their endeavours and grow in confidence.

11. Mentor Feedback My main ideas and advice were around getting to know the university and all the tools possible that could help her to succeed. Maybe I felt that what I had to offer wasn't just a chat and 'I know how you feel..‘. The best tools possible, I explained, are knowing how to find articles, reading a lot and talking or e-mailing tutors, especially if the student feel shy or anxious, but asking for help is probably the best way. And if it all fails study groups are a must.

12. Conclusion Learning is central to mentoring, is usually experienced by both parties and is often a consequence of the exchange. Peer mentoring provides valuable secondary benefits, both psychosocial and practical. Student mentoring should be available to all students who choose to engage with the activity and join the mentoring community as either mentee or mentor. Peer mentoring helps to provide a supportive and caring environment in which all students can achieve their potential.

13. References • Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. • Goodlad, S (ed.) (1995) Students as Tutors and Mentors (London:Kogan Page) • Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1990). Situated Learning: Legitimate Periperal Participation. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. • Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity. Cambridge University Press.