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Peer Mentoring

Peer Mentoring Programme

Want to be a mentor for Sept 2017?   To express your interest , Click here

What is Peer Mentoring?

Peer mentoring involves the exchange of knowledge and experience from one person to another. Mentors share what they have learned to support others (mentees). This then helps the mentees to understand their own experiences better, to feel more comfortable in novel situations and to develop necessary skills to take on new challenges.

An added advantage of peer mentoring is it also allows for mutual learning to take place for everyone involved in the mentoring process.  Mentors and mentees alike are able to improve and strengthen their skill sets around communication, leadership, academic study and social awareness.    

 

ITB Peer Mentoring Programme for First Years

ITB is delighted to offer a Peer Mentoring Programme to all incoming full-time first year students! 

Starting at a college for the first time can seem scary or overwhelming, but this programme aims to help new first year students make that transition into higher education as smoothly and successfully as possible.  New students meet with and learn from the experiences of senior students in ITB who have once been in their shoes and know what they are going through.  New students are then able to settle into life at ITB more quickly, so that they can fully enjoy and benefit from everything the college has to offer.

The programme can help incoming first year students to:

  • Broaden their social circles by meeting new people and making new friends
  • Learn more about their programme of study and become acquainted with programme academic staff
  • Prepare for their academic coursework with useful study hints and tips
  • Further develop many transferable skills, such as communication, listening, teamwork and problem solving skills
  • Recognize the variety of student support services available within the college and how to access them
  • Develop a deeper understanding of how the college operates (eg. exam procedures, grading processes, timetable changes etc.) and the numerous student opportunities available (eg. student clubs/societies, on-campus events etc.)
  • Make the transition to higher education as seamless as possible through providing a safe and welcoming environment in which to openly ask questions or bring up any concerns.

 

What Our First Year Participants are Saying…

How is it Run?

The ITB Peer Mentoring Programme runs in both semester 1 and semester 2, so each group of students will receive four mentoring sessions in semester 1 and an additional one session in semester 2.  The sessions are slotted into students’ academic timetables and refreshments are provided.

First year students are placed into small groups of 6-8 students based on their programme of study, with different programme groups meeting on different days.  Each group will be matched up with a peer mentor, so a senior year 2, 3 or 4 student from within the same programme.  These small groups help facilitate deeper discussions, allowing time for students to really get to know their fellow mentees and mentor, and gives everyone an opportunity to participate and ask the questions they need help with. 

The programme is structured so that each session is built around a theme topic.  This topic is then explored in-depth with lots of hands-on, interactive, fun and engaging activities.  Entertaining activities, such as quizzes, jigsaw puzzles, guessing games, will get everyone invovled and there are even prizes to be won! Members of ITB academic staff will also be present at each session and some sessions will even feature invited guests speakers.

To view Semester 1 - Calendar of sessions, Click here

To learn more about the Peer Mentoring Programme, watch our video and hear what the students have to say!

 

 

 

 

What's in it for a Mentor?

The mentor’s role is to develop a positive and welcoming atmosphere for first year students.  They serve as role models to the new students helping them with that transition into college life, so that this process does not seem as daunting and intimidating as imagined.  The aim of the mentor is to highlight the positives from their own experiences and to pass on any advice and tips they have learned along the way that could help set up first year students for success.

The programme can help mentors to:

  • Further develop many transferable skills, such as leadership, communication, listening, teamwork and problem solving skills
  • Become more self-aware and strengthen their own academic skills around time management, organisation and planning
  • Broaden their social circles by meeting new people and making new friends
  • Gain a more well-rounded college experience by getting involved with a unique on-campus opportunity
  • Stand out amongst peers to lecturers and future employers by having this experience on their resume
  • Discover new opportunities (career, social, academic) through networking with a variety of people during sessions
  • Build connections and gain support from lecturers and key academic contacts from within their programme

At the end of the programme, mentors receive a certificate of recognition as a thank you for their participation in the programme.

 

What Our Mentors are Saying…

ITB Peer Mentoring

 

Mentor Tips for New Students

Check out this video and learn some top tips our mentors are sharing with new first year students!

 

 

 

Want to be a Mentor?

All students who will be entering second, third or fourth year are welcome to become mentors!

Mentors are matched with a group of 6-8 first year students from the same course and these same mentor/mentee groups will continue until the end of the programme.  This way, everyone gets to know one another very well and deeper friendships can be formed.

During the sessions, mentors lead their groups through a series of fun and interactive activities based around a theme. Of course, there will also be plenty of time to catch up, chat and answer mentee questions about life at ITB.

All mentors receive full mentor training and mentor kits prior to the start of the programme to help them ease into their new roles.  Mentors are required to be Garda vetted, click here for further details. Additionally, there is ongoing mentor support throughout the program from the peer mentoring coordinator and programme academic staff contacts.  If mentors ever have a question or need help with an activity, someone from the peer mentoring team will be available to assist.

The time commitment for being a mentor involves:

  • A short online training activity
  • 3 hour training session
  • Attendance at four mentoring sessions in semester 1 and one session in semester 2
  • A short online report after each session to let programme staff know how their group is getting on

While the time commitment is minimal, the rewards are enormous. Become a mentor and get invovled!

Mentor recruitment for the 2017/2018 academic year is currently underway.

Visit surveymonkey.com/r/itb_mentors2017 to express your interest. Please feel free to contact the programme coordinator if you have any questions!

 

Get In Touch

Want to learn more about our Peer Mentoring Programme?  A new first year student and have questions? Interested in becoming a mentor? Get in touch with:

Aine Mc Groary

Peer Mentoring Coordinator

Email: aine.mcgroary@nln.ie

 

 

Get Involved & Get Connected!