Supporting Transition Through Peer Mentoring Jean Mathias, Megan Bruce Durham University Foundation Centre

Supporting Transition Through Peer Mentoring Introduction Foundation Peer Mentoring Scheme The project Reflection Jean

Introduction Research suggests the first six weeks in Higher Education are crucial Peer mentoring is well recognised as an effective student support mechanism Improve students’ engagement Increase students’ senses of success The transition into university life is far from easy, whatever the background. This is even more true for mature students who have been out of academic environment for many years, also for international students who study in a very different academic and cultural environment. Among the ways of supporting students at transition, peer mentoring is recognised as an effective student support mechanism. It is a complementary to other types of supports which mostly tutor/academic advisor support, it offers an approach whereby students help students discover the new world of university life through the formation of safe and supportive peer relationship. A successful peer mentoring needs to be robust: need to be well thought, supported with students’ training, on going care and maintenance. Literature: positive change in three of five sense of success: capability, connectedness, purpose, resourcefulness, culture.

UK universities’ peer mentoring Successful ingredients for a mentoring scheme Robust and well structured Rigorous mentor selection and training process Effective marketing of the programme Taking care in matching mentor and mentees Managing programme and on going support Recognition for mentors Jean

Foundation Peer mentoring Durham University Foundation Centre Home and international students, mature and young students. Who is the programme aimed at? To ensure that the students achieve their maximum potential and progress to Year 1 of a degree.   To help students to make effective adjustment during transitions in academic and social life. To help Foundation students to create a good balance between family, social and academic commitments. Megan

Foundation Peer mentoring The project Funded by Durham University ESLE Award Aim to recruit 15-20 mentors from year 0 to 2 in 2014-15 Pilot in 2015-16 Evaluation and wider roll out Megan

The project Project planning Recruiting mentors Best mentoring scheme checklist Visiting other universities mentoring scheme Inviting mentor training experts Recruiting mentors Individual approach to potential mentors Application Mentor training and assessment Mentor profile Jean

The project Marketing Recruiting mentees Matching mentor and mentees Mentoring website Pre-arrival website Videos Recruiting mentees Mentee application Random selection of mentees and control group Matching mentor and mentees Supporting mechanism Jean

Evaluation Questionnaires Focus groups (mentors and metees) Five senses of success Sense of capability Sense of connectedness Sense of purpose Sense of resourcefulness Sense of academic culture General self efficacy A ten question survey Focus groups (mentors and metees) Jean Sense of capability: Task and Role Clarity, Academic competence, Community participation Sense of connectedness: Institutional identification Students-staff relationships Students-students relationships Sense of purpose: Disciplinary Engagement Vocational Direction Personal development Sense of resourcefulness: Student access and navigation Physical Environment University-life Interface Sense of academic culture

What did we find out so far? Sense of capability Task and Role Clarity , Academic competence, Community participation Sense of connectedness Institutional identification, Students-staff relationships, Students-students relationships Sense of purpose Disciplinary Engagement, Vocational Direction, Personal development Sense of resourcefulness Student access and navigation, Physical Environment University-life Interface Sense of academic culture Megan/Jean

What did we find out so far? Self efficacy score (out of 60) Mentee (N=27) Control (N=15) Mean S. D. Before 43.67 4.97 42.83 6.96 After 48.33 5.78 43.87 8.15 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.00 <0.05 Significant 0.24>0.05 (not significant) Significant! Megan/Jean

What have mentees got out of the peer mentoring? Megan/Jean

Answered my immediate concerns, it worked as my sounding boards “I was struggling with social aspect of coming to university….The opportunity to talk to someone who had come out the other side of that was really helpful.” “…having some who you can contact easily if ever I was feeling stressed out by the amount of work I had. They remained a positive role model and calming influence when I needed it…” “It gave me the opportunity to get some feelings off my chest to someone who I could trust. …” “I felt I could be totally honest about my feelings and worries about my progress and likelihood of making the grade without judgement.” Megan/Jean “I like that it felt independent from my classes and program…”

Increased my confidence socially and academically “I felt a sense of reassurance… I felt that I have someone to talk to who had the same experience as me and thus can better understand me than my fresher friends.” “It really helps students who are anxious and confused,….” “It not only helps new students to solve their problems, but also gives them confidence in communicating with other people.” “When I started doing my project, it was great talking to her about the project she had done in the past, because it made more confident that I could do it.” Megan/Jean “His information allowed me to know more about programme and became less worried, which I felt really helpful.”

Helped me to make better adjustment socially International student: “The fact that we are both from the same country was a major plus for me.” Home mature student: “They helped me get involved in some social activities around Durham…” Megan/Jean

Gave me additional support to academic study “I learned how to use DUO from my mentor and it was very helpful. “She shared some of the experience to tackle with stress before assignment dates…..refer me to a few academic language and communication courses….” “I found this particularly useful when I was struggling to decide upon an extended research topic.” Megan/Jean

Increased my motivation, inspired me to succeed “My peer mentor gave me a lot of courage and motivation to go try new things, to meet people.” “Seeing him succeeding, motivated me to work hard during this year.” “I am a different person compared to when I stared in October. So thank you all.” “I do feel it could be highly beneficial for new students, I have applied to be a mentor next year myself.” Megan/Jean

What have mentors got out of the peer mentoring? Have new perspective Gained interpersonal skills Learned to solve new problems Megan/Jean

Reflection Challenge in recruiting mentors Mentor and mentee matching Dedicated person?

Thank you Your own experiences and comments? Contact: foundation.mentoring@dur.ac.uk

Foundation Peer mentoring Reference: Chester, A., Burton, L. J., Xenos, S., & Elgar, K. (2013). Peer mentoring: Supporting successful transition for first year undergraduate psychology students. Australian Journal of Psychology, 65(1), 30-37. Clark, Robin and Andrews, Jane (2012). Peer mentoring in Higher Education : a reciprocal route to student success. Compendium of effective practice in higher education retention and success. Clark, Robin and Andrews, Jane (2011). Tackling Transition: Peer mentoring as a route to student success: The Findings of a Multi-Case Study Research Project. Presented at: 2011 SRHE Annual Conference. December 2011. Newport. Lizzio, A. (2006). Designing an orientation and transition strategy for commencing students. Mathis J., Bruce M. (2013) Challenging the Western stereotype: Do Chinese international foundation students learn by rote? Research in Post-compulsory Education. To be published in issue 18.3, 2013 Ramsay S., Barker M., Jones E. (1999) Academic adjustment and learning processes: a comparison of international and local students in first year university, Higher Education Research & Development, 18:1, 129-144