Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UEL Peer Mentoring Scheme?
The UEL Peer Mentoring Scheme is co-ordinated by the Academic Practice & Learning Enhancement Team and supported by the Employability and Enterprise Team at the University of East London.
We wanted to develop a scheme where students support other students in a informal and friendly way - coming to university is often a huge step and having someone who is already a couple of steps ahead of you to turn to for advice and guidance can really help you make the most of your UEL experience.
Who are the Peer Mentors (the person providing the support) and what do they do?
The UEL Peer Mentors are 2nd or 3rd year students who will act as as mentors to first year mentees to offer support and encouragement especially during the first few weeks at UEL to ease mentees into student life and enable a smooth transition from college, school or work.
Peer Mentors can also direct students to other areas of support at UEL should they need it. Peer Mentors don't act as counsellors or coaches though.
How do you recruit t Peer Mentors?
We recruit Peer Mentors throughout the academic year and we hold training sessions across the year - either as a group or on a 1:1 basis.
If you want to be a Peer Mentor please view our Mentor Information Page.
Do students get any training before taking on their mentoring role?
We offer mentors full training and ongoing support and all prospective peer mentors must attend a 2 hour training session before they are matched with a mentee.
If its voluntary, what do Peer Mentors get out of it?
Mentoring is a great way to boost skills as well as enhance your future employability. Peer Mentors (through mentoring) can develop their communication skills, the ability to develop and motivate others and time management skills. Also seeing a mentee develop and make a successful transition into life at UEL with a mentor's help can bring great personal satisfaction. In addition to this you will have a a role and training that looks good on your CV and receive certificates for your achievements.
I am a new UEL student and want a mentor, how do I get one?
New UEL students who want a Peer Mentor should view our Mentee Information Page first, this will give all the details they need .
How long will Peer Mentoring take in regards to hours per week?
We ask Mentors to commit to meeting thier mentees once a week for the first month and then fornightly after that till the end of the Semester - its the equivalent of 8 hours per semester.
You can also support this by having regular email/text or messaging contact that will help to answer quick queries and to just check on how they are getting on.
How long does the programme last?
The peer mentoring programme will last a mentee's first Semester at university. If you would like to continue seeing your mentor/mentee this will be at your own discretion and must be agreeable to both parties. If this does happen, you must inform the Scheme Coordinators who can update their records and ensure neither Mentor nor Mentee is assigned elsewhere.
How do you match mentors and mentees?
We will match mentees with mentors from the same academic school and preferably the same programme as this will enable mentors to guide mentees based on a mentor's personal experience with the view of directing mentees to resources and areas that may support their studies.
Who is responsible for setting up the first meeting and what should they expect to discuss?
We ask all mentors to contact their mentee by email within 7 days of receiving the mentee’s details. If you don’t hear from your mentor within that time, please let the Scheme Coordinators know. At the first meeting, Mentors will introduce themselves and talk about the mentoring relationship and confidentiality. Mentees can then talk about themselves, what they want to get out of mentoring and if there are any issues that are current for them.
Are the meetings confidential?
All Peer Mentors are fully trained and briefed on issues of confidentiality. We expect Mentors to keep issues confidential unless they believe that their mentee or another person is in danger or likely to be harmed. If this is the case, the Scheme Coordinators must be informed immediately.
If a mentee feels that they cannot trust their Peer Mentor they must let the Scheme Coordinators know so that they can be reassigned.
Where should we meet?
Always meet on campus (Stratford or Docklands or Duncan House) and during the day. Please don’t meet in Halls of Residences, bars or off campus for example at a mentor’s home.
What should mentees do to prepare for a mentoring meeting?
If Mentees prepare for a mentoring session in advance, it will help make the most of thier time with thier mentor, some ideas to take to your mentoring meetings could be ...
- Actions/goals you want to reach/complete
- Background work on any areas you want to focus on
- Sending your mentor an outline of what you want to cover during your mentoring session
- Making a note of any issues that may arise that you want your mentor’s guidance on
How do the Scheme Coordinators monitor the mentoring relationships?
The Scheme Coordinators monitor the progress of mentoring relationships via 1:1 reviews with Peer Mentors, group training events with Peer Mentors and the Peer Mentoring Log.
I need help with my studies can my mentor help with me?
Your mentor will take the role of a guide during your first semester at university. Mentors will not be able to give you one to one tutoring or proof read your work.
If you require support of this nature please contact the Skill Zone on 020 8223 4270
What shall I do if the mentoring relationship is not working for me?
If for whatever reason, the mentoring relationship is not working, please contact the Scheme Coordinators, who will contact your mentor/mentee to let them know and re-match you both (if you want to continue being part of the scheme).
Also contact the Scheme Coordinators if your mentor or mentee doesn't respond to any attempts at contact for example via email.
As a Peer Mentor I feel that I could do with some support and advice. Where can I go?
As a first step contact the Scheme Coordinators to discuss your concerns. Additionally, the University of East London has a full range of student support services that Peer Mentors can access. A list of these is available in the Peer Mentor Handbook which is given to all Peer Mentors when they attend their induction training.
How do I give feedback about the UEL Peer Mentoring Scheme?
If you have any comments about the scheme or ideas on how to improve it in any way, please complete the Feedback Form
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