STUDENTS 4 STUDENTS:ENHANCING THE 1ST YEAR

EXPERIENCEDr John Barrow

Students 4 Students Coordinator

WHAT IS MENTORING?

“Mentoring is to support and encourage people…”

“…in order that they may maximise their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance and become the person they want to be.“

Eric Parsloe, The Oxford School of Coaching & Mentoring

WHAT IS STUDENTS 4 STUDENTS?

• Transitional mentoring of our students as they begin their undergraduate studies

• Run jointly by UoA and AUSA

“The Students 4 Students (S4S) Scheme is here to help you settle into University life with advice and support from your fellow students who have been there and got the t-shirt.”

“Our S4S Mentors are all fully trained, and are current undergraduate students who are studying in the same School as you and, if possible, on the same degree programme.”

HISTORY OF THE SCHEME

• Initial idea was for academic mentoring• Changed to peer mentoring specifically as a retention

strategy• Piloted in SMS (2010-11)– 5 Mentors / 15 first years

• Expanded in SMS / piloted in DHP (2011-12)– 25 Mentors / 35 first years

• SMT approved for institutional roll out to all Schools based on success of SMS/DHP pilots– Currently 75 Mentors being trained

ROLE OF THE MENTOR

Specifically help first years by:• Answering general questions and/or directing

them to the most appropriate source of advice• Encouraging them to make the most of

opportunities to meet one another, become involved in campus life and develop their own support networks

• Maintaining contact with them during the first year of study and maintain confidentiality

WHAT’S IN IT FOR THE 1ST YEARS?

• Gaining practical advice, encouragement and support

• Learning from the experiences of others within the same area of study

• Increasing social and academic confidence• Making new friends across year groups• Developing strategies for dealing with life at

the University

MECHANICS OF S4S

March: Recruit S4S School

Coordinators

March: Recruit Mentors

April: Training of Mentors

Pre-Freshers’ Week: Refresher

training

Freshers’ Week: Advertise to 1st

years

Advising: Flyers for 1st years

Freshers’ Week: Notify 1st years of

first meeting

1st week of term: Ice-breaker

meeting / Mentor groups formed

Mentor meetings…

MENTOR TRAINING

4 weeks of intensive training from various support areas of the University:• Lucy Foley – Student Support Services• Pat Rowand – Registry• Duncan Stuart – InfoHub• Shona Howie – AUSA Student Advice Centre• Joy Wootten, Janine Chalmers – Culture and diversity• Angela Bolt, Sally King, Ruth Bannister – Counselling

Service

LOOKING FORWARD

• Feedback has been gathered from previous two years

• It is hoped the scheme will grow and become entrenched in School-level retention strategies

• Ultimately the scheme should encourage a more student-centric atmosphere to all new undergraduate students

• Full impact will be tested in several years with data collected from each year