Peer Mentoring

What is the Peer Mentoring scheme?

The Peer Mentoring scheme is offered by the School of Politics and International Relations to all year one and two students in order to assist them with the transition from school to university.

Starting university marks a major period of change for all students. New students are faced with a range of challenges and opportunities, and all students can benefit from the guidance and support not only of staff, but of senior students who have recently been through the same process themselves and with whom they can more easily identify.

The Peer Mentoring supplements and complements the Personal Tutor system in the school under the direction of the Senior Tutor. All returning students can apply to be peer mentors.

student with their peer mentor

What is Peer Mentoring?

Our peer mentors will meet their mentees up to four times in the first year:

Soon after the start of term to talk about getting started
In late October/early November to talk about preparing for assessed coursework
At the end of term to reflect on first coursework feedback and talk about preparing for exams
After the release of semester one results to talk about how to get the most out of feedback and identify adjustments to studying in semester two

Mentees will be provided with the university email address of mentors to establish contact and so that they can ask questions between sessions, though mentors may establish boundaries about their availability to reflect their own workload.

The commitment of mentors will officially end once semester one results have been published, so they are not committed to the scheme during semester two and preparation for their end of year exams. Some mentors/mentees choose to continue their meetings, but this is entirely optional.

Mentors are encouraged to attend the information sessions on the Nottingham Advantage Award (NAA) Centralised Peer Mentoring module. They are not obliged to take the NAA.

Induction Week

Peer mentors also play a vital role in Induction Week, providing a friendly and informed contact for incoming students.

Our peer mentors help with orientation around the campus, accompanying groups around the building during the school quiz, and running tours of the Hallward Library and Portland Building.

Support

The School of Politics and International Relations Peer Mentoring Scheme will be overseen by an academic, and Edward Hammond is the administrative contact for the scheme within the school.

School of Politics and International Relations

Law and Social Sciences building
University of Nottingham
University Park
Nottingham, NG7 2RD

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