Underpinned by the ideas of Parsloe and Leedham (2017) and Clutterbuck (2004), peer mentoring at Newman aims to support and encourage students to manage their own learning and realise their potential. This involves building reciprocal relationships that engender listening with empathy, sharing experience (usually mutually), encouraging professional friendship, developing insight through reflection and being a sounding board.

Principles for mentoring

1. Co-creating mentoring activities is facilitated through the student-staff partnership framework. This involves students working together with staff to design, develop, deploy and evaluate student-to-student mentoring activities.
2. Effective coordination of mentoring by named persons is underpinned by sufficient resourcing to reward and recognise the contributions of all involved. This includes providing opportunities for mentors and staff involved to come together; build community; share practice, experiences and develop professionally. Recognition is wide-ranging and given for students through the HEAR process; refund of expenses or financial payment; and for staff as formal CPD to that generates evidence for HEA Fellowship and/or contribution point applications.
3. Successful promotion of mentoring services, as well as effective training, is central to generating a clear understanding of mentor roles and responsibilities. This means all mentors undergo HEAR recognised or Newman University approved training that highlights power differentials between the mentor and mentee. Training promotes inclusive practice and requires an appropriate E&D impact assessment.
4. Building reciprocal relationships to share experiences and encourage professional mentor-mentee friendships rests on an effective matching process. This takes many forms ranging from self-matching to staff allocation of mentee to mentor, whilst at the same time ensuring that all students are aware of all available mentoring opportunities.
5. Supporting students to develop insight through reflection and manage their own learning is achieved through a range of formats. This involves reflective conversations with purpose that are based on trust, confidentiality, equality, mutual respect and sensitivity to aid the realisation of potential. Formats include face-to-face meetings, real time or asynchronous chats via social media platforms; email; Moodle; telephone or virtual meeting software.
6. Attributing the value and impact of mentoring on student experience is derived from triangulating qualitative and quantitative data against the original aims of the activity. This can include but is not limited to student testimonials through annual feedback mechanisms; interviews and focus groups; demographical data analysis as well as relevant progression and/or success statistics.

Welcome Mentors

Knowing the challenges of starting University level study, Welcome Mentors help new students build connections and friendships across the first year.

IT Mentors

As regular users of Mahara, Moodle, Email, Word, Excel and more, IT Mentors offer students guidance and tips on any aspect of IT.

Peer to Peer Mentors

Peer mentors support new students with settling into university life; providing general or specific programme advice, they help enable the realisation of potential.

Peer to Peer Bame Mentors

These mentors provide individual or small group support specifically to BAME students.

Writing Mentors

Offering tips on how to improve your academic work, Writing Mentors are students identified as excellent writers and help others develop their writing skills.

For more information please email: mentors@newman.ac.uk

References

Clutterbuck, D. (2004) Everyone needs a mentor: fostering talent at work. 2nd ed. London: Institute of Personnel Management

Parsloe, E. and Leedham, M.  (2017) Coaching and Mentoring: Practical Techniques for developing learning and performance. 3rd ed. London: Kogan Page

Learn more about Mentoring at Newman University by visiting the following webpages:

• Using student data: Student-staff collaborative development of compassionate pedagogic interventions based on learning analytics and mentoring
• Cathedrals Group Toolbox