Peer Mentoring Project

PALS Peer Mentoring Project

The following points were written by the Peer Mentors.

• We meet with our Mentee every week for half an hour.

• We help Mentees with schoolwork, transition, bullying, self confidence, home life, peer pressure, relationships, growing up difficulties and motivation.

• We help by talking things through, playing different games, listening, setting goals and giving advice.

• If there is a big problem or issue we tell the Peer Mentoring Supervisor, Sue.

• We meet for Supervision on our own and also in a group, this helps us with any worries or difficulties we might be having, and also we get to share good ideas with the group.

• We’re someone you can trust.

• As Peer Mentors it gives us more confidence, knowing we are helping others.

• It enhances our listening and communication skills.

• The Peer Mentors have grown closer as a group and are now stronger friends than before.

• We enjoy helping Mentees enjoy their lives to become more confident and happy. That then spreads to their friends and goes round the school.

• It is a respectful relationship where Mentees and Peer Mentors are expected to work to certain boundaries.

Peer Mentor Testimonials:

Rhiannon (Year 8): Peer mentoring for me, is making a difference to a person who needs it and to listen and offer advice. I like mentoring because I know I’m helping someone and I can see the effects. I like it because I’m not just helping, I’m having a laugh and making friends in the process.

Jade (Year 8): I think that peer mentoring will help children who need someone to talk to. Being a peer mentor gives me a real buzz knowing I’m making a difference. After the session has finished and the bell has gone and you feel you’ve helped, it makes you feel special in a funny sort of way.

Miranda (Year 8): I think that peer mentoring helps pupils in a way that a teacher or family member might not be able to. Sometimes it’s easier to speak to someone closer to your own age, that might have had something happen to them. It helps in a way that is difficult to put into words.

Megan (Year 8): I think that being a peer mentor is really exciting because you can make a difference to people’s lives. When I notice or know a change has happened I feel proud to know that some of that was down to me. I’m glad to be a peer mentor and I’m here to help.

Paige (Year 8): I think that peer mentoring has helped me because I now know that there are more problems around, so I understand things better. It has also helped me to learn new skills and has let me help other people.

Glenn (Year 8): How peer mentoring affects me: Peer mentoring has been great for me because it may help me in a later career/job that I may do. It is also good for my life skills in case that someone may be troubled. How do I expect to help my mentees? I hope that I can talk to my mentee and that their self confidence/ and any other problems may be helped with. It is good for them to have someone to talk to.

his is just a small amount of what some of the Peer Mentors had to say about working as part of the PALS Peer Mentoring Project. It has been a really good experience for them, they have made a real difference to their mentees. In addition they have developed new skills and understanding, which will beneficial to them in their own lives. (Sue Hobbs, Peer Mentoring Project Supervisor)

Mentee Testimonials:

Lily: Mentoring has helped me by making me feel more confident. I am more willing to make friends now. I feel a lot happier.

Aaron: My mentor is good at listening to me. She helps me with my school work.

Stevieleigh: Mentoring is really good, and my mentor really helps me when I’ve got a problem. I feel a lot better when I’ve seen her.

Brett: It’s a friend to talk to and help you. You can trust them and tell them your problems.

Jamie: I like my mentor because he is easy to talk to and he gives me confidence in class to put my hand up, he also asks if I’m getting bullied.

Sophie: Mentoring has helped me with my confidence in my work. Also it has helped me with putting my hand up and talking more in class.

Adrian: My mentor has helped me with my homework and she also helps me to make my behaviour better.

Teah: I feel better about myself, and I like the way I look more now, I didn’t used to like how I looked.

Lauren: Mentoring has started to help me with my confidence.

Ryan: I’m gaining self-confidence.

Emily My mentor helped me get my self-confidence up and I’m still working on it.

Overall, having met with all the mentees, each and every one had a positive experience. They felt that each session was helping with a variety of different issues. Sue Hobbs (Peer Mentoring Supervisor.)