School Peer Mentor Case Study - "Buddy" Training

During the past year over 1300 students have been trained as Peer “Buddy” Mentors. The Peer Mentor Programme is now operational in most of the Leeds High Schools.

More experienced students from within schools/colleges and Universities volunteer to mentor younger, less experienced students. The Peer Mentor “Buddy” model recognises the importance, influence and impact of peer mentoring/tutoring. The aim is to harness and channel peer dynamics within a formal framework of support. Leeds Mentoring provides an off site 2 day training workshop on a university campus. Day 1 is for mentors. Day 2 in the morning is for mentees and the afternoon session is for mentors with mentees.

Briamwood’s Peer Mentoring co-ordinator at the school said “Just getting the boys onto a university campus is worthwhile, getting them mingling with university students, sitting in the refectory having lunch – just experiencing this will hopefully inspire them to start thinking where they want to go”.

A year 10 Peer Mentor said “Having the training at University was good, its like a mini village. I know now that all sorts of different people go to university from different backgrounds and its made me thing about my future and where I can go”.

Mentors selected from the Aimhigher cohort benefit from mentor training, increased self confidence and motivation. Younger students benefit from academically and socially from the support of a more experienced older student. Peer Mentoring creates an ethos of collective responsibility, it builds confidence in mentors and mentees and it can be recorded for National Record of Achievement. A “Buddy” support system is very positive and it is possible for peer mentors to gain a National Open College Network accreditation at Level 2/3.