Peer Mentoring Guide for Student Mentees 2
Contents Welcome and Introduction 3 Frequently Asked Questions 4-5 What Students Say... 6 Guidelines for Mentees 7 Data Protection Both mentors and mentees must act in accordance with the University s Code of Practice on Data Protection. Contact details and personal information must be treated as confidential unless there is a risk to the well-being of yourself or others. If you feel uncomfortable or worried about information disclosed to you please contact your coordinator. Where you have provided personal information, the University will use this for administration purposes only. If you have concerns with regard to the use of your personal information please contact the University lawyer on 0113 343 4079. 3
Dear Student First of all I would like to welcome you to the University of Leeds. It is natural that you will feel both excited and a little apprehensive at the prospect of studying at university. In order to make the transition from school or college to university as smooth as possible I would like to tell you about the University s Peer Mentoring Programme. Our Peer Mentoring Programme is based on a system where experienced students from your school volunteer to become mentors to a group of new students. Mentors have been trained to give you support and encouragement in your first few months to enable you to settle quickly into living and studying in a new environment. Like you, Mentors have faced the joys and challenges of finding their way around a new city and studying in a more independent way. Their knowledge and experience mean that they are equipped to answer the questions you are likely to ask and help you to find the information that will be most useful to you. Further details of the Peer Mentoring Programme are outlined in this booklet which tells you a little more about the roles of both student mentors and mentees. Your school will contact you about joining the programme, following which you will be invited to meet your mentors and other first years at a social event within the first few days of arriving in Leeds. Some schools are automatically opting their first year students into the programme and some are asking mentees to self-select, so make sure you read the letter from your school carefully so you know whether you have to confirm participation. Either way, we hope you will take up the opportunity of meeting other students and start to build up your support network. Finally, I hope that you have a happy and fulfilling experience whilst studying in Leeds and I would like to take this opportunity to wish you every success in your university career. Professor Vivien Jones Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Student Education 4
FAQs Q: Who can join the programme? A: All first year undergraduates in participating schools Q: Who are the mentors? A: Mentors are second or third year students from your school, who have chosen to participate in the programme. They have attended a half day training session with regard to their responsibilities. Many mentors are motivated because they can remember only too well how confusing they found the first few weeks of term, and would like to be able to help new students to find their way around as quickly as possible. Q: How can the mentors help me? A: Mentoring is delivered in a group setting. Mentors are not counsellors and they are not experts in dealing with personal problems. However, like you, they were new students, bursting with questions about their new way of life. Mentors can help you find your way around the campus and signpost you to the most important things to know. They will hopefully know the city and the best places to go and the best means of transport to get you from place to place. Mentors will know your school, its resources and staff and can help you to find your way around the systems very quickly. Whilst they can t write your essays for you, or help with specific academic problems, they do know where you can go on campus to get the help that you need. Of course friendships may develop but making personal friends is certainly not required of you nor is it the focus of the programme. Q: How will I be placed into my mentoring group? A: Mentors have filled out an application form and have been trained in mentoring skills. Mentoring groups will be mixed although where possible you will all be students in the same school. It may be that your group will comprise international and home students, students who have come straight from school, students who have taken a gap year and perhaps mature students who are returning to learn after a break of several years. One of the strengths of the mentoring group is the diversity and range of experiences that you all bring. 5
FAQs Q: How often will we meet? A: It s really up to you, and the group. We anticipate that at the beginning of the academic year you will meet quite frequently and remain in contact via email as well as face-to-face meetings. As the year goes on and you become more confident, it may be that you won t feel the need to meet up very often. Q: Where will we meet up? A: Mentoring groups will meet up in a convenient public place, such as a coffee bar or the Leeds University Union. It may be that you all decide to factor in a social event, such as bowling there are no limitations on this, the idea is that the group communicate and help each other, as well as having fun. Q: Will it cost me anything? A: There is no charge for the programme; the only cost to you will be your time (and the price of the odd cup of coffee maybe!). Q: What happens if I don t get on with my mentoring group? A: If you are uncertain about how the group is working, or are feeling uncomfortable with the group you have been allocated, see your school peer mentoring co-ordinator to discuss possible changes. Q: Are all students offered a peer mentor? A: All students in your school are offered the opportunity to join the peer mentoring programme, but the programme is entirely voluntary and so if you decide not to join that s OK. Q: How long will I be involved? A: Typically the programme will run for your first 2 terms of study, concluding before the exam period in semester 2. There is no restriction on continuing to keep in contact if your group feels it is helpful. Q: What do I do to join the programme? A: See the covering letter from your School 6
What Students Say... Mentees I think the scheme is a fantastic idea My mentors were very friendly and willing to chat about issues such as housing which in the second year is invaluable What I found particularly useful was that my mentors were doing a similar course so I could ask them questions about the course, not just about Uni. Mentors are brilliant, they are down to earth and very approachable University is a massive step in anyone s life, so any extra help that can be available can only be positive I think it s really important to help first years to settle in and to have someone to talk to on the same course can really help I found it difficult in my first year, especially felt that there was nobody to get in touch with for small queries so thought this was a good idea Mentors It was good to socialise with people and hear their reflections on university life. Being a mentor has also shown me how much I have learned about Leeds and the university since I was a fresher I want to work with people when I leave university, so thought it would be good on my CV I had a peer mentor when I started university and found it very useful so I thought I would do the same to help others feel welcome The training was excellent, really informative and eliminated any fears from the start I think the scheme is a good thing, especially for overseas students to make them feel welcome 7
Guidelines For Mentees If you wish to participate under the peer mentoring programme, as a mentee, you agree to the following: Do l arrange to meet with your mentoring group following the initial introduction meeting l talk about your experience to date of living and studying in Leeds l ask for help if you feel you don t understand something l take a tour of campus with your group and ask about things you are particularly interested in seeing or finding Don t... l be over-demanding or impose your own ideas, values or solutions l become over dependent and expect too much of others l assume that your experience will be the same as your peers l over-commit yourself time wise l overstep the boundaries, respect each individual in your peer mentoring group Boundaries l always contact your mentoring peers and the co-ordinator via your university email account or mobile phone l always meet on university premises or in a public area l never give out personal details such as your address or landline phone number l all discussions are confidential between group members unless there is a risk to well-being Further support l always inform your co-ordinator about any problems and/or changes in contact details l if you have any concerns about information disclosed to you, speak to your co-ordinator l if you have any need for further help or guidance, or wish to discuss any aspect of the programme, please contact your co-ordinator Limitations Mentors are not trained counsellors, they have not been through a lengthy selection procedure, they are students with different levels of skills that may not always be compatible with your needs. The University reserves the right to withdraw you from the programme at any time. 8
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