Education Mentor Scheme

“...a safety net.”(1st year student, mentee 2011-12)

“..Extra support when you are trying to settle in” (1st year student, mentee 2010-11)

"..I was glad to have someone to talk to otherwise I would have been a nervous wreck" (1st year student, mentee 2011-12)

“.. A positive experience which not only was (I hope) beneficial to the mentees, but has helped me to reflect on my time here. I have utilised my communication, planning and explanation skills which I believe will really help me in my future career as a teacher.” (3rd year student, mentor 2010-11)

What is the scheme?

The Education Mentoring Scheme was first run as a pilot scheme to support Mature Students taking the Childhood Studies degree last year. Due to the success of the scheme, it has been changed to incorporate all first year students taken either the Education or the Childhood Studies degree scheme. The scheme is a group mentoring scheme where a second or third year student (mentor) supports a group of first year students (mentees) during their first semester at University.  The scheme offers an additional level of support that will help you to feel more confident in your studies, from a student who has already been through the experience. The mentors are there to offer support on a variety of issues, ranging from the Academic - Where is my lecture? How do I submit assignments? How do I write lecture notes? to the non –academic – Where can I get the best curry? What’s the best pub in town? etc.

What are the aims of the scheme?

 As a mentee, the scheme aims to support your studies and the transition from school or work to university life:

“...without the scheme, I dreaded coming to university due to the big gap between leaving school and coming here. The scheme has stopped me feeling lost and I now feel more at ease with the course.” (1st year mature student, mentee 2010-11)

"...settling into uni life is hard, so having someone who has been through it as well to talk to is great" (1st year student, mentee 2011-12)

".. it helped me relax more when it came to assignments as I knew there was someone there to talk to" (1st year student, mentee 2011-12)

As a mentor, the scheme aims to increase your employability whilst gaining new perspectives on yourself.

“....it has really encouraged me to reflect on my own experiences of student life in Aberystwyth; in ways that I originally would not have though would have helped me.” (3rd year student, mentor 2010-11)

"... being a mentor is rewarding and its a great opportunity" (3rd year student, mentor 2011-12)

As a department, we hope that the scheme will enable both mentees and mentors to develop personally from the scheme.  The mentees will be given informal additional support to make the transition into University life and work as uneventful as possible, whilst the mentors will gain valuable people skills and experiences which will make them increasingly employable.  Both mentees and mentors in the past have greatly valued the provision and have benefitted enormously from it. 

“Becoming a mentor will provide you with key skills that will look excellent on your CV and enhance your employability after graduation. You will gain essential experience of providing support to students which employers in the education and children’s services sector look for when recruiting.”  (School Employability Co-ordinator)

How can I become involved?

As a mentee:

Information about the scheme will be provided in your welcome pack to the School, which is sent out before you begin the course.  Any first year studying within the department can be a mentee, whether you are coming straight from school, a mature student or an overseas student. On arrival at university, you will be notified if you have been allocated a place on the scheme. The number of places on the scheme is dependent on the number of mentors .You will meet your mentor and other students in your group at the Mentor/Mentee Welcome session during registration week (details will be passed on to you prior to this).  At the Welcome session you will be provided with a handbook which will give further details on the scheme.

As a mentor:

A call for mentors is normally sent out at the start of the second semester. This is done via emails to all 2nd and 3rd year students and via posters on the Undergraduate Notice board. Students are invited to attend a selection presentation, and after attending are encouraged to fill in an application form. Selection is then undertaken by the Mentor Coordinator, Director of Undergraduates and the Director of Learning and Teaching.  If you are approved to become a mentor†, then training is normally held after Easter. At your training session you will be provided with a handbook which gives further details on the scheme, highlights some of the topics raised in the training, and gives details of departmental rules and a list of contact details.  You will also gain access to the Education Mentor Scheme discussion forum on Blackboard where you can discuss positives and negatives with the other Mentors as well as the Mentor Coordinator.

(†In some cases, you may be put on the waiting list to become a mentor. In these cases, you will be asked to attend the training sessions but may only be used as a mentor if demand for the scheme is high or if a mentor decides not to partake in the scheme).

You will be matched to a group of mentees prior to the start of term and will meet the mentees during the Welcome session at registration week. You will be a mentor to a group of 4-6 students (depending on number of applications received).

Contact Details: Mrs Ffion Hoare, Mentor Coordinator, fmj@aber.ac.uk