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Coyne-Foresi, M., & Nowicki, E. (2020). Building Connections and Relationships at School: Youth Reflect on Mentoring Their Younger Peers. The Journal of Early Adolescence , https://doi.org/10.1177/0272431620912472
Summarized by Ariel Ervin Notes of Interest:

We often think of a mentoring relationship as between an adult and a child, but this research examines peer mentoring, youth mentors matched with other youth mentees from the same school settings

This current study explores the impact mentors had in guiding and supporting their mentees/younger peers, within The Wiz Kidz program

Three main concepts were identified from the findings: communication skills, relationships with mentees, and connections with school and staff.

Many participants/mentors stated that being a mentor has improved their communication and interpersonal skills; made them more aware about how much on an impact that they can have on their mentees, as their role models; influenced them to better appreciate the work that school staff do; as well as allowed the participants/mentors to make some connections with the school staff

Introduction (Reprinted from the Abstract)

Most peer mentoring studies have focused on outcomes for mentees. This investigation examines seventh- and eighth-grade youth mentors' roles in providing support and companionship to younger peer mentees. Group concept mapping (GCM) explored youth mentors' reflections on the connections and relationships made through a peer mentoring program, 2 to 4 years after participating in the program. Results showed three key concepts: (a) Communication Skills, (b) Relationships With Mentees, and (c) Connections With School and Staff. Mentors noted their improved communication skills with mentees and improved interpersonal relations with fellow mentors and school staff. Implications and future research are discussed.

Implications (Reprinted from the Discussion)

Participants' awareness of the influence they had on mentees was a central theme observed through this investigation. From the moment they volunteered for their roles, the facilitator communicated the expectation of mentors' responsibility and maturity within the school. The Wiz Kidz program encouraged mentors to model appropriate behavioral conduct, including showing commitment to their studies. Mentors demonstrated these prosocial skills and exercised their leadership roles to encourage the same in the mentees. For example, some mentors were regularly called on by school staff to assist with school assemblies or school safety initiatives; this group of students included the three mentors who participated in the Wiz Kidz program for two consecutive years. Two of these three mentors were involved in other leadership programming at school, namely student council. These students may have had a greater interest in school programming initiatives or perhaps benefited from their social roles within the school. These outcomes are consistent with research that supported peer mentoring as an opportunity for youth to model their identity development ( Karcher, 2008 ) and internalize their social roles (Rhodes, 2002).

Frequent contact with other mentors and mentees in the program may have fostered the mentors' experience of group affiliation. This affiliation closely paralleled research findings that linked participation in group programming with students' broader sense of belonging to school (Karcher, Holcomb, & Zambrano, 2008). Furthermore, this belonging and connection with school supports a host of protective factors for students, including social and academic benefits (Karcher et al., 2008) and school staff and peer support (Sabol & Pianta, 2012). This study revealed former mentors' comfort, and arguably continued connection, with their elementary school months and years after graduating, as evidenced by their return to visit staff and students or assist with school functions, such as school plays. Participants commented on the friendships and connections made with their mentees. Mentor/mentee relationships expanded beyond the Wiz Kidz group to the greater school context, where both age groups engaged in the hallways or at recess, and in the community. It is queried if such exchanges would have occurred among the two groups if the program did not exist.

Former youth mentors also revealed improved interpersonal relations with school staff and the program facilitator as a result of their participation. These concepts closely align with the Wiz Kidz program goals to view staff as a source of support in times of need and is fostered by the natural mentoring relationship staff have with students (Portwood & Ayers, 2005). Research on students' connection to school and staff (Karcher, 2005; Pianta, (1992) can be considered an extension of attachment theory (Bowlby, 1988). Attachment theory (Bowlby, 1988) is explained as one's experience of improved feelings of connection and belonging to a person or group as a result of regular social contact with others (Ainsworth, 1989; Bandura, 1982). The current investigation highlights the roles of educators as supportive figures to the students in their classes and to students within the broader school. Identified as natural mentors outside of the home (DuBois & Silverthorn, 2005; Luthar, 2006; Portwood & Ayers, 2005), educators may provide additional avenues of social support to students who require it. The positive influence educators can have on their students' sense of safety and social well-being can reach beyond the classroom walls; educators are encouraged to seek social programming interventions to engage and support students outside of the classroom.

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Mentor outcomes in a peer-mentoring program

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Coyne-Foresi, M., & Nowicki, E. (2020). Building Connections and Relationships at School: Youth Reflect on Mentoring Their Younger Peers.

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·       A report written by the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation looking at the successes of peer mentoring and the outcomes that have been reported.

·       Sone useful key finding including the growth of peer mentoring over the last 10 years and how until recently most findings have been qualitative.

·       Provides an over view of current provision in England.

·       Notes that research is still relatively limited.

·       Refers to the significance of the US and research carried out over there.

·       Discusses various pilot schemes that have been trialled in England.

·       Refers to two articles which look at peer mentoring and transition.

·       Discusses the Outcome Measurement Tool and the previous lack of previous formal monitoring.

·       Explanation of how the measurement tool was created.

·       Overall findings are that despite gaps in the evidence base, peer mentoring has a role to play in an education setting.

·       Schemes that are more formal are found to be more effective, have more longevity to them and produce greater results.

·       The report ends with a number of case studies.

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This national Department for Education (DfE) funded programme was piloted in 89 schools, colleges and community organisations in six different regions in England

The participating settings received evidence informed training and resources to help them to develop a peer mentoring programme to support the mental health and wellbeing of the children and young people in their setting.

The 89 participating settings included primary, secondary and special schools, colleges and children and young people's community groups. All were based in one of the six regions selected by the DfE: East Sussex, Ipswich, Derby, Oldham, West Midlands and Bradford. Each setting assigned a member of staff to lead on the project who attended a training session in early 2018. There were two stages of delivery; April - August 2018 and September 2018 - March 2019.

As you click through the tabs above you will find the evidence-based programme resources, training slides and evaluation information to successfully develop a peer mentoring programme to support the mental health and emotional wellbeing of children and young people in your school, college or community organisation.

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Peer Support for Children and Young People's Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing Programme | Anna Freud Centre

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The participating settings received evidence informed training and resources to help them to develop a peer mentoring programme to support the mental health and wellbeing of the children and young people in their setting. The 89 participating settings included primary, secondary and special schools, colleges and children and young people's community groups.

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The National Mentoring Partnership (2003) define mentoring as a structured and trusting relationship that brings young people together with caring individuals who offer, guidance, support, and encouragement aimed at developing the confidence and competence of the mentee (MENTOR/national mentoring partnership, 2003a).

Education Endowment Foundation definition:

"Mentoring in education involves pairing young people with an older peer or volunteer, who acts as a positive role model. In general, mentoring aims to build confidence, develop resilience and character, or raise aspirations, rather than to develop specific academic skills or knowledge."

Mentors typically build relationships with young people by meeting with them one to one for about an hour a week over a sustained period, either during school, at the end of the school day, or at weekends.

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Vast research and literature around peer mentoring for transition into higher education. For primary and secondary school literature is limited.
REFLECTIONS

·       I was surprised by the lack of published research on transition from primary to secondary school despite the huge change both academically and socially

·       There was a lack of consistent language utilised across research articles

·       There was a large amount of research about the transition from school to university

·       I struggled to find current, peer reviewed literature that spoke purely about peer mentoring schemes in the UK.
The literature review highlighted the fact that there is little research around peer mentoring and transition. Most transition related research involves the move into university or into the workplace and therefore does not fit with the EMHP remit. However, the articles based on peer mentoring in general show the benefits to be gained from the programmes. There are also lots of non-academic repots and guidance documents available which support the use of peer mentoring, and these contain some particularly useful pieces of information.

A recurring theme through much of the literature is the lack of quantitative data available to measure outcomes. Most data is qualitative, and whist this provides a useful insight into the benefits and problems associated with peer mentoring it does not provide clear, numerical data to back up the findings.

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Several research studies, spanning nearly 15 years, have illustrated the significant role that peers play not only in forming supportive networks, but also in enhancing learning and personal development.

Peer-to-peer mentorship programmes can greatly help in the transition from primary school to secondary school life for students. When conducted on school grounds in full view of teachers and others in the school community, peer mentorship programmes also provide students with a trusting environment for personal growth.

Once it has been determined that a peer mentoring programme is ideal for your school, you can follow these important steps to help in building a successful initiative.

Recruit, screen and select

First you need to set the criteria for accepting the right participants into your programme. Criteria should be aligned with the goals of the programme. For example, if the aim is to help students who are struggling academically, grades and performance will be used to screen both mentors and mentees.

Perhaps most important is to be sure to recruit from a wide range and cross-section of the student cohort. This reduces any stigma associated with being part of the programme.

Referrals for youth participation should be from a range of teachers, guidance counsellors, other team members and parents. Implementing an array of match activities will ensure the best possible peer matches. Hold a series of recruitment events so as many students as possible have an opportunity to participate.

When recruiting for a secondary school programme, it is also important to look for participants with a high level of "social interest". This is generally indicated by a positive attitude, optimism, genuine desire to be helpful, and empathy. You may include past experience in a helping role as one of your criteria, or seek this information through teacher, parent or counsellor recommendation.
Finally, ensure that parent or guardian permission is granted before students participate.

Effectively market the programme

Successful peer-to-peer mentoring programmes are well marketed in the school to reach the largest number of potential participants.

Consider advertising your programme by hanging posters or handing out flyers around school. You can also take advantage of social media by sending a Facebook group invitation to staff and students explaining all the important points. This will give you more space to share more details than just a flyer hanging on the wall.

Encourage teachers to make class announcements and also see if you can get the programme announcement in the school newspaper and any parent communications. Be sure all communications have a clear call to action so it is easy for interested students to learn more.

Train participants for success

Mentors may benefit from some special tutor training, especially if the programme has specific goals, such as helping raise overall student body academics.

Your peer-to-peer mentorship programme should have an assigned coordinator who conducts all of the training. By having one main point person who is responsible, training can be most effectively administered. Make sure you have resources for this coordinator both at the outset as well as later on to ensure the programme's success.

It is a good idea to work with teachers to develop or adapt training for peer mentors.

The way you train young people to be mentors, as well as what topics you cover, will need to take into account how young people interact with one another and what peer mentors can do to keep the mentoring relationship on track.

There are two broad areas that young people will need training in - programme orientation and guidelines, and skills for the mentoring relationship.

It is a good idea to break training into several shorter sessions since most secondary school students are not developmentally ready for a full-day training session.

At a minimum, initial training should cover an introduction to the peer mentoring programme and basic communication topics that will give mentors practical skills right away as their relationships get started. The remaining skill development topics can then be covered throughout the school year, ideally on a preset schedule (monthly or bi-monthly, etc).

Listening and communication skills should be an important part of the training programme. Providing peer mentors with a solid foundation in communication skills is essential. Training peer mentors on skills such as focused listening, asking open-ended questions, paraphrasing for meaning, non-judgemental responding, and reflecting, can help mentors get to know their mentee better and establish a strong relationship.

Selecting the right activities

There are three main varieties of development activity. Whether they are academic, for personal growth, or purely fun, the goals you have set for the programme should be reflected in which activities you choose. Be mindful of your school's resources when planning and always think of how community groups can provide your mentoring programme with unique opportunities to gain a wide variety of development experiences.

Academic activities such as helping with homework and studying for tests are common activities for peer mentoring groups. They have the benefit of providing an alternate environment for study, which can greatly enhance some pupils' capacity to learn.

Other activities might include group research, which can be enhanced by visiting museums or doing field trips. Academic activities like these can incorporate personal growth development, as well purely being fun, giving them huge learning potential.

Personal growth activities lend towards social and moral development. These are chosen for students who find it challenging to integrate with their current peers, and are particularly helpful in reducing traumatic behaviour that can put stress on a pupil's life.

Skills such as confidence, self-esteem, communication and anger-management can be easier to develop through peer mentoring than other traditional techniques. Furthermore, it can help students to engage with conflicts in their lives, such as a parent or family issues, bullying, peer pressure and health issues.

Finally, there are the fun activities. These are vital to the development of a student's social and mental wellbeing. Often the strongest bonds between mentor and mentee can grow from simple, carefree activities, sometimes outside of the overbearing structure of school. They let students realise that they all share a common ground, and helps teach them vital communication skills.

Often teachers are unable to act as a friend, or a pupil is unwilling to engage them in that way, mentor programmes help break down that boundary, and can provide a unique support system where others may have been unable to.

Peer mentoring programmes can be labour intensive, but the rewards for the school and the students are great when implemented effectively.

Keir McDonald is CEO and founder of EduCare, an online training company that specialises in child protection, exploitation and online safety, and bullying and child neglect.

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Building an effective peer mentoring scheme

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Several research studies, spanning nearly 15 years, have illustrated the significant role that peers play not only in forming supportive networks, but also in enhancing learning and personal development. Peer-to-peer mentorship programmes can greatly help in the transition from primary school to secondary school life for students.

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DOI link for Mentoring Students and Young People

Mentoring Students and Young People book

A Handbook of Effective Practice

DOI link for Mentoring Students and Young People

Mentoring Students and Young People book

A Handbook of Effective Practice

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Mentoring Students and Young People | A Handbook of Effective Practice

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DOI link for Mentoring Students and Young People Mentoring Students and Young People book A Handbook of Effective Practice DOI link for Mentoring Students and Young People Mentoring Students and Young People book A Handbook of Effective Practice

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Key points:

·       Peer mentoring can increase the use of critical thinking skills, improvements in interpersonal skills, and the use of conflict resolution skills.

·       Success was seen in all areas of the research.
·       A one- or two-year age difference is most effective

·       This model boosted self-esteem on both the mentor and the mentee

·       Students began to problem solve

·       Meet over lunch times and over the phone

·       Mentee were trained in active listening, goal setting and counselling skills.

·       Some peer programmes used in transitions

·       Improvements in attendance and grades

·       Continual assessment of the student is required for a good outcome

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·       This paper is a review designed to bridge the gap – there is lots of literature on the effectiveness of PM but not much on how to deliver an effective programme

·       This paper wanted to look at a) target groups of mentors/mentees b) the design of mentoring programmes and their settings c) the methods of recruitment used d) the ways mentors/mentees were matched e) training provided for mentors f) aspects of the mentor/mentee relationship associated with good outcomes g) the way effective support could be supplied to mentors

·       A) Mentees - Most recent meta-analysis suggests mentoring programmes have a stronger effect when they serve young people who are experiencing either individual and environmental risk simultaneously or environmental risk alone.  Another theory is CYP experiencing intermediate levels of difficulty (rather than severe or mild) will benefit most.  Mentors – mentors themselves benefit from peer mentoring programmes. The benefits of mentoring include increased self-reflection, self-awareness and improved interpersonal and communication skills.

·       B) This paper is primarily concerned with PM in school environment. Offering mentoring sessions in school has been found to help students to direct positive feelings about the program toward the school, improving their overall attitude to school.  However mentoring in schools has limitations – limited by academic calendar and PM relationship rarely takes place out of school time and is therefore often less intensive.  Engagement with stakeholders has a positive impact on success of programme e.g. involving parents from the beginning is beneficial.

·       C) Currently little evidence about how to recruit mentors/mentees.  Literature agrees its important to screen participants to check they can partake in a relationship of a longer duration as short term relationships are associated with negative experiences.

·       D) Studies suggest the importance of matching mentors/mentees appropriately and thoughtfully.  The thinking is having more common ground between mentors/mentees is more likely to make the relationship sustainable.  Research also suggests matching based on interests is more important and that mentors/mentees who share similar interests make the mentors/mentees feel closer and mentees more emotionally supported.

·       E) General consensus in literature is how important it is to train mentors prior to any activities and that ongoing training is important to sustain mentoring relationships. In a qualitative study lack of mentoring skills was cited as a major contributing factor to the ending of mentor/mentee relationship.  Mentors might benefit from training on how to sustain mentees interest in the mentoring relationship and how to encourage them.

·       F) Researchers have attempted to identify the components of mentoring relationships that are essential for a high-quality mentoring relationship. The main components of mentoring relationships identified as essential pertain to the youth’s interpersonal history, social competence, and developmental stage, the duration of the mentoring relationship, program practices that help establish and support the mentoring relationships, and the youth’s family and surrounding community.  Duration of relationship is also important – evidence suggests while enduring peer mentoring relationships have benefit, short lived relationships can actually be harmful.

·       G) Mentors – General consensus in literature is mentors need ongoing support during the relationship. This is essential because programmes where mentors quit prematurely or which provide short term mentoring have been associated with negative outcomes.  Ongoing support also ensures the fidelity of the programme implementation.  Mentees – Mentoring has traditionally been 1:1 but now groups are common.  Research has indicated mentees in groups feel less close to their mentors so groups might be more beneficial in improving social skills and peer relationships.

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Background

·       A survey of English primary and secondary schools which aims to give an overview of the way peer support is currently used.

·       Responses received for 240 schools.

·       Definition of peer support as “an umbrella term that describes a range of activities and systems within which the potential of people to be helpful to one another can be fostered through appropriate training.”

·       Questionnaire used to understand the use and characteristics of peer support initiatives in schools.

Results

·       77.5% of responding schools said they had peer support in place.

·       22.5% of responding schools said they did not use peer support.

·       More secondaries than primaries use peer support.

·       Allowance made for non-responding schools by using conservative estimations and adjusted assumption based on non-responsive bias.

·       Study conducted in 9 regions of England, no regional variables found.

·       The most common peer mentoring approach used was befriending, the least common was peer counselling.

·       Training for peer mentors was mostly inhouse by school staff and usually involves the older year (Y5&6, Y10&11).

·       Common reported outcomes fell into three categories: whole school, peer supports and targeted groups.

·       Most common outcomes for peer supporters included the development of social, empathetic, communication, interpersonal, leadership, listening and life skills along with increased self-esteem and confidence.

·       Most outcomes were reported by either an improvement in “school ethos” or an improvement in a specific area such as bullying.

·       Secondary schools were found to use a wider variety of approaches than primaries which the article suggests is due to a more developmentally appropriate, diverse approach being needed for 0oldere students.

·       Primary school were found to use less formal peer support, secondaries use a more formal approach.

Limitations

·       The response rate and sample size – 726 school selected, only 240 responded.

·       It was felt that schools with an interest in peer mentoring were more likely to respond than those with no interest as they would be more positive about it.

·       Adjusted calculation estimates of non-responding sample size used which do not provide a true figure.

·       More recently adopted methods of peer support via the internet were not included in the survey.

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This survey aims to give a broad overview of the way peer support is currently used in English primary and secondary schools, and to highlight common patterns. Regional strata samples of schools were selected from an online database. Questionnaire data were obtained from 240 schools (130 primary and 110 secondary), of which 186 had peer support schemes. An adjusted estimation (which makes some correction for non‐response error) suggests that 62% of schools are using a structured peer support scheme. The survey results also give an indication of some common patterns and commonalities in the characteristics of existing schemes, as well as some differences between primary and secondary schools. The implementation of peer support is often multi‐dimensional, particularly in secondary schools after a scheme had been running for some time. The findings are discussed in relation to previous research and in terms of the nature of school‐based peer support programmes.

Notes

1. This was based on the open primary/secondary schools identified for each local authority in the 'EduBase Establishment Finder', but did not include schools classified as 'middle deemed primary' or 'middle deemed secondary'.

2. Partial responses refer to questionnaires with more than one unanswered question.

3. This is the minimum response rate and is calculated by dividing the number of completed responses by the total number of schools in the sample and multiplying by 100.

4. Details on the coefficients, Wald statistics, and probability values for each regional predictor variable are available from the lead author.

5. The 10 schools which were unsure whether or not they shared practice with other schools were not included in further analyses.

6. Details on the coefficients, Wald statistics, and probability values for each regional predictor variable are available from the lead author.

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Investigating the extent and use of peer support initiatives in English schools

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This survey aims to give a broad overview of the way peer support is currently used in English primary and secondary schools, and to highlight common patterns. Regional strata samples of schools were selected from an online database. Questionnaire data were obtained from 240 schools (130 primary and 110 secondary), of which 186 had peer support schemes.

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This research trial was based in London. It involved three focus groups with mentees to efficiently evaluate the impact of peer mentoring schemes. It used qualitative research for thirteen mentees using interviews to get a more in-depth view collected in transcripts to show the findings. The results were shown to highlight the importance of promoting positive and preventative mental health in schools.

Key points

·       The research focused mainly on the transition from primary school to secondary school. This was chosen as their can have often be a negative impact on student’s mental health and wellbeing. The study focuses on measuring the outcomes of emotional and behavioural wellbeing during transition in secondary school to promotes positive mental health in children and young people.

·       Schools have identified the need to use preventative interventions to support social and emotional needs during primary transitions, these are explained to be gaining in popularity in schools (Department for Education, 2015); SEMH groups are often identified for early intervention as they are seen as a vulnerable group of students.

·       It was identified that the key reason why peer mentor schemes can be so affective is that Pupils respond to people they can relate too. In the study 12 of 13 mentors noticed positive changes in students which included increased confidence, preparation for secondary school and relational changes. The key aspects where to build trust and supportive relationships.

·       Identified for early intervention where young people ages 11 transitioning to year 7. The peer mentoring scheme focused on mental health wellbeing and resilience. It was recognised that girls are more likely to be diagnosed with ‘emotional disorders and boys with ‘behavioural disorders’ (Sadler et al.,2018). This rate was noticed to increase through mental health disorder presenting as anxiety and depression when moving into high school.

·       Mental health difficulties were recognised to be more prominent in SEND students not necessarily through increased emotional mental health disorder but increased rates of bullying when transitioning to high school. It was also shown that pupils from SES (low socio-economic housing) and LAC and those with parents of MH disorders had the highest rate of developing further mental health disorder into adolescents.

·       It was reported that most children express some concerns prior to the transition, typically related to getting lost, bullying, increased workload and friendship difficulties.

·       The paper showed that peer mentoring can provide a cost-effective preventative action to help promote wellbeing, build connections in students, and helps provide positive impact for mentees for up to two years.

·       The paper shows that barriers could include schools having insufficient resources and staff time to affectively run and monitor the peer mentor scheme. The paper reports the importance of the schools needing to affectively take ownership of the peer mentor scheme as this is dependant up on how successful the outcomes are.

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This article aimed to explore peer mentoring schemes using an audit. The article focuses on the 2006 Mentoring and Befriending Foundation scheme which was contracted by the Department for Education and Skills to pilot nationally a formal and sustainable peer mentoring scheme. This included auditing 180 secondary schools in England by generating the 3600 matched pairs. Qualitative data was positive on the used ‘about me’ scale but impact data was harder to get conclusive evidence for qualitative results such as attendance, attainment, and behaviour.

Key points

·       The article shows that key mentoring scheme has boosted academic achievement within its students however it was unclear as to whether the affect is long term. The article reinforces this by explaining how there is not as much research on this development as it is a new scheme but has recognised the positive affect it has on confidence and self-esteem in the short term

·       It was recognised to increase incentive for the mentors who are participating in the scheme schools noticed better engagement when linking how the students would gain good skills and qualities for university and jobs. The mentors also highlight how it was important to them to stand for a higher purpose in schools.

·       The peer mentoring scheme was noted as being successful when it was performed once a week during break times or other times in school hours such as form time. The article also highlights how results on impact on the peer mentoring scheme have been difficult to collate because self esteem and confidence is hard to measure.

Thoughts

The reading highlighted the need for further research to be undertaken within the peer mentoring scheme transitions from primary to secondary school. It also highlights the importance to choose a specific focus group that are identified as needing support with mental health and wellbeing. Risk factors in peer groups should be those who are at greater risk for developing further mental health difficulties into adolescents. It also highlights the need to generate a new form of quantitative data which can show how students wellbeing and mental health has been impacted on through out the peer mentoring scheme. It would also be important to show results of these students throughout the entirety of their academic years to gauge the impact on long term impact.

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Over the past 10 years, mentoring of children and young people has become an increasingly important feature of social policy in the United Kingdom. This is evidenced in the rapid growth in the number of mentoring schemes operating in a range of educational settings. In 2006 the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation was contracted by the Department for Education and Skills to pilot nationally a formal and sustainable peer mentoring scheme in 180 secondary schools in England, generating 3600 matched pairs. The evaluators, appointed by the Department for Education and Skills, had the overarching aim of supporting the development of evidence‐based peer mentoring and enhancing the capacity of those involved to engage in evaluation practice. This article reports the methodology and main findings of the evaluation of the programme. It was evident that schools engaged positively and productively with the project and with this structured form of mentoring. Qualitative interview evidence, self‐report data from the 'About Me' scale, and the teacher and mentee and mentor 'voice' attested to benefits, but impact data (attendance, attainment, behaviour) did not provide corroborative evidence of a positive effect.

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Evaluating a formalised peer mentoring programme: student voice and impact audit

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Over the past 10 years, mentoring of children and young people has become an increasingly important feature of social policy in the United Kingdom. This is evidenced in the rapid growth in the number of mentoring schemes operating in a range of educational settings.

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·     This PMP project hoped to improve mentor’s citizenship skills, strengthen links between feeder primary and secondary schools, and develop self-confidence through broadening friendships for mentees to assist the move to Y7.

·     In 1999, three Y10 were pupils matched with three Y6 pupils, based on gender, choice of hobbies, and having attended the same primary school. Nelson (2003) hoped this matching process would form a good base for a cross-age friendship.

·     The pairs met for one session in the summer term of Y6, subsequent sessions were agreed on by the mentoring pair.

·     No documentation of the meetings was recorded and the sessions were not supervised.

·     The programme was evaluated qualitatively through self-evaluation sheets (details of this were not included) and structured interviews with participants.

·     Mentors said they had improved communication and problem solving skills, and felt more responsible for their own learning. They said they had helped their mentee build confidence and settle into the school.

·     Mentees reported to feel less worried about starting secondary school and more confident in general.

·     Both thought more meetings prior to the transition would be beneficial.

·     Following this positive feedback the programme expanded for a further two years, culminating in the whole of Y10 being trained as mentors.

·     However, an evaluation of the whole-year approach to PM was not included in the paper and therefore the evidence cannot be critically evaluated, which would have been a useful advancement in the literature.

·     Moreover, the data is 20 years old, and therefore its relevance to YP in schools today needs to be held in mind while considering the findings.

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·      Big brothers big sisters, is an Irish school-based PMP for school transition. Older pupils (aged 15 or 16) offer YP starting secondary school mentoring sessions to help them feel more settled at school, with the aim to keep more YP in school through increased friendships and positive role models.

·      Mentors and mentees were trained separately and matched based on ‘expected compatibility’ and gender; and subsequently met for 40 minute weekly sessions comprised of individual and group-based activities for one school year.

·      The researchers evaluated the project in 23 schools (out of 65 involved in the project) in 2010-2011.

·      Fifty mentees said the main benefit of having a mentor was having someone to talk to about problems, making new friends, and knowing someone was ‘looking out for them’ at school.

·      Fifty-six mentors identified a sense of satisfaction from helping, and spoke about development of their confidence, listening and communication skills.

·      Mentors reported mentees had increased confidence following the mentoring and were less likely to be bullied. However, they thought better supervision would ensure commitment from mentors and mentees.

·      Interviews with 38 teachers highlighted the importance of the PS element of the program, and suggested this was the key to the positive outcomes. They thought the mentees felt safer and more settled at school, and had better friendship networks.

·      Teachers attributed the mentoring intervention to the increases in self-esteem and confidence for the mentees and mentors and the reduction of bullying in the school. They identified challenges in setting up the 33 program, finding the time for the YP to meet regularly, and in the mentee selection process.

·     Twelve programme staff offered thoughts on the experience of working with different schools. They reported some operational difficulties, which included schools complying with the model and matching process, and the differing levels of support offered by the link staff member in the different schools. They also noticed a contribution of the programme to the wider school ethos particularly when the programme had been running for over five years.

·     The researchers concluded that this PMP can be considered a model of good practice when compared to best practise school PM guidelines (Karcher, 2007). They suggested that although PM is not a solution to the challenges of school transition it can offer a unique and valuable contribution in addition to other preparatory events and pastoral initiatives.

·     This study benefits from a larger sample and input from all main stakeholders; however, generalisability is limited as the sites were selected on the basis of best fidelity to their model, which may have positively skewed perceptions compared to the broader range of schools involved. This is important as schools are often unable to stick strictly to intervention models due to staffing and time pressure.

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Useful tool to support transition to high school.

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Mental health animation toolkit for teachers and schools | Young people mental health

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This animation and accompanying teacher toolkit is aimed at pupils who have recently started secondary school or will be preparing to go later this year (Years 6 and 7). They were developed in collaboration with young people, teachers and mental health experts.

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•	Meta-analysis of 6 studies – this is not a very large sample size•	“This study is the first meta‐analytic assessment of the impact of cross‐age peer mentoring

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·       “This study is an evaluation of one type of peer support intervention: a cross-age peer mentoring intervention delivered in eight secondary schools in England.” (pg. 2)

·       Programme delivered across three years (2017-2019) – longitudinal study

·       Overall 377 participants (mentors and mentees)

·       Conducted in secondary schools in London – 8 secondary schools located in 3 London boroughs

·       “Mentors’ ages ranged from 11.08 to 17.75 (M = 15.72, SD = 1.62), and mentees’ ages ranged from 11.00 to 18.25 (M = 13.34, SD = 1.52).” (pg. 2) – not a transition-specific peer mentoring programme

·       Mixture of quantitative and qualitative data

·       Measured wellbeing, resilience and mental health

·       Observed an overall improvement in the mental health of mentees

·       Observed an improvement in the sense of participation at school and at home in mentors

·       Noted that higher attendance at peer mentoring sessions showed more positive outcome

·       Highlighted that for mentees “the importance of having someone to talk to” (pg. 1) affected the impact of the programme

·       Highlighted that for mentors “gaining new skills and knowledge” (pg. 1) was a “mechanism of impact” (pg. 1)

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Highlights

*

Mentees benefitted in terms of their overall mental health.

*

Mentors benefitted in terms of their school/home connection and participation.

*

No significant benefits identified in terms of wellbeing or perceived stress.

*

Qualitative findings showed other areas of benefit, e.g., skill development.

Abstract

Peer mentoring is a popular type of school-based support. However, peer mentoring models can vary substantially and evidence for the efficacy of such support is mixed. 377 participants took part in 'More than Mentors', as either mentors or mentees, in select London-based secondary schools. Participants completed standardised measures to explore changes over time in their wellbeing, resilience, and mental health. A subsample also completed qualitative interviews about their experiences. Multi-level modelling analysis revealed that mentees experienced improvements in their overall mental health and mentors experienced improvements in their sense of participation in school and home life. Higher numbers of mentoring sessions attended also yielded positive effects. A thematic analysis highlighted the mechanisms behind impact, including for mentees, the importance of having someone to talk to, and for mentors, gaining new skills and knowledge. This study provides preliminary evidence for the positive impact of a peer mentoring intervention on select outcomes for mentors and mentees in a UK school setting.

View full text

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A mixed methods evaluation of a peer mentoring intervention in a UK school setting: Perspectives from mentees and mentors

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Mentees benefitted in terms of their overall mental health. * Mentors benefitted in terms of their school/home connection and participation. * No significant benefits identified in terms of wellbeing or perceived stress. * Qualitative findings showed other areas of benefit, e.g., skill development. Peer mentoring is a popular type of school-based support.

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·       Mentors – Year 10s

·       Mentees – Year 6s

·       Questionnaires given to mentors and mentees

·       19 out of 20 mentors responded

·       “At least 65 per cent of the mentors agreed or strongly agreed with the statements relating to personal development” (pg. 253)

·       “At least 70 per cent of the mentors agreed or strongly agreed with the statements related to interpersonal skills” (pg. 253)

·       “All but two of the mentors responding agreed or strongly agreed that their work had increased the chances for younger students to learn” (pg. 253)

·       “…all of those who responded to the questionnaire (95 per cent) agreed or strongly agreed that they had helped the younger students to feel less worried about secondary school” (pg. 253)

·       “Games with letters and words was the most popular activity (16 positive responses), then speaking and listening (11 positive responses) and reading together (9 positive responses). Games with numbers was the least popular activity (6 positive responses).” (pg. 253)

·       10 out of 20 mentees responded

·       “On every statement relating to personal development 90 per cent of pupils responded positively, agreeing or strongly agreeing” (pg. 254)

·       “At least 80 per cent of the responses agreed or strongly agreed with statements relating to interpersonal skills” (pg. 254)

·       “All the pupils responding felt that they had been helped to learn” (pg. 254)

·       “The activity which was thought to have helped them the most was games with letters and words (9 positive responses), next came reading together (7 positive responses) and speaking and listening (3 positive responses). The least popular activity was games with numbers (2 positive responses)” (pg. 254)

·       “All of the Y6 students stated that they had enjoyed working with their mentors, that they felt comfortable working with them, that it had been good to have a chance to do something different and that they wanted it to continue. Four of them said they would like to work with their mentor more often. When asked why they would like to continue, several comments centred around the fact that they thought they were learning something” (pg. 254)

·       “The aims of developing friendships, easing transition, extending learning opportunities, and developing the confidence and interpersonal skills of older students along with their awareness and responsibility in being able to help others, have been achieved if the responses to the questionnaires are taken as evidence.” (pg. 256)
·       Doctoral thesis – not published in a journal, likely not peer-reviewed

·       Good source of references for wider reading regarding peer mentoring

·       Looked at transition from Year 6 to Year 7

·       Mentors – Year 7s

·       Mentees – Year 6s

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10

CrossRef citations to date

Cross‐age Peer Mentoring in Action

Cross‐age Peer Mentoring in Action

Cross-age Peer Mentoring in Action: the process and outcomes

References

Citations

Metrics

Reprints & Permissions

Get access /doi/pdf/10.1080/0266736980130406?needAccess=true

The process and outcomesSummary

The process and outcomesSummary

This article describes the setting up and running of a peer‐mentoring scheme. Year10 (Y10) mentors from a large city comprehensive school worked with Year 6 (Y6) students in four of its feeder primary schools. This article aims to present one model of mentoring between schools, describing the process and outcomes for both mentors and mentees, and also to promote reflection and discussion about the role of peer support particularly in relation to transition between primary and secondary schools.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jackie Dearden
Jackie Dearden is an educational psychologist with Nottinghamshire Educational Psychology Service. Her contact address is Educational Psychology Service (South Division) The Mundella Centre, Green Street, The Meadows, Nottingham, NG2 2LA. Jeanne Ware (Deputy Head) and Jill Owens (Careers Teacher)

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Cross-age Peer Mentoring in Action: the process and outcomes

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(1998). Cross-age Peer Mentoring in Action: the process and outcomes. Educational Psychology in Practice: Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 250-257.

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·       Doctoral thesis – not published in a journal, likely not peer-reviewed

·       Good source of references for wider reading regarding peer mentoring

·       Looked at transition from Year 6 to Year 7

·       “Young people prefer support from people who can relate to them; therefore peer approaches, predominantly peer mentoring interventions are increasingly being used in schools (Podmore, Fonagy, & Munk, 2018).” (pg. 2)

·       “Despite broadly positive outcomes for YP taking part in school-based PMPs, research investigating PM for school transition is limited in the UK” (pg. 30)

·       Offers recommendations for peer mentoring programmes

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Abstract

Secondary school transition is a significant marker in children’s education, which can have widespread negative impacts for some young people (Riglin, Frederikson, Shelton, & Rice, 2013). Preventative interventions to support social and emotional needs during the transition are gaining popularity (Department for Education, 2015); yet research into understanding approaches that work is limited. Young people prefer support from people who can relate to them; therefore peer approaches, predominantly peer mentoring interventions are increasingly being used in schools (Podmore, Fonagy, & Munk, 2018).

Little is known about the mechanisms of change in peer mentoring, particularly when used to support secondary transition. Therefore, the current study was developed to both explore the experiences of young people participating in a transition peer mentoring project; and to understand from the perspectives of the mentees and programme facilitators what aspects of the intervention they thought facilitated change. The study took a critical realist epistemological position and utilised a qualitative design to enable the voices of the mentees to be fully heard.

Three focus groups were held with thirteen mentees in year seven and three facilitators participated in individual interviews. The transcripts were subjected to two separate thematic analyses. Twelve of the mentees noticed positive outcomes following the intervention; including increased confidence, preparation for secondary school and relational changes. The participants emphasised the importance of building trusting, supportive relationships in facilitating change, and reflected that the peer support model worked well, as mentors could relate to the mentees’ experiences.

This research supports the need to promote positive mental health and prevention in schools, and demonstrates the benefits of a continued relationship across the school transition. The limitations of the study are explored, along with recommendations about future research, including longitudinal explorations of peer mentoring and the importance of collaboration between education and mental health settings.

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'Making Professional Friends': Mentees' and Facilitators' Experiences of a School-Based Peer Mentoring Intervention to Support Primary to Secondary School Transition

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The UEL Research Repository preserves and disseminates open access publications, research data, and theses created by members of the University of East London. It exists as an online publication platform that offers free permanent access to anyone.

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·       Mentors – 3rd Year Psychology students

·       Mentees – 1st Year Psychology students (241 ppts; 166 F, 65 M)

·       At a metropolitan university in Australia

·       “In this project, we used the five senses of student success model developed by Lizzio (2006) as a framework for a mentoring programme designed to better support students in the first year of their undergraduate psychology study. The programme also focused on the enhancement of effective learning approaches and psychological literacies.” (pg. 30)

·       “The five senses of student success model is a conceptual summary of the variables that predict first year student satisfaction, engagement, and retention in higher education (Lizzio, 2006, 2012). The model is based on student needs in five areas (capability, connectedness, purpose, resourcefulness, and culture) and can be used to shape transition strategies, without prescribing solutions (Lizzio, 2006).” (pg. 30)

·       “Significant positive change was noted on three of the five aspects of student success, with an increase in deep and strategic learning approaches and a decrease in surface learning.” (pg. 30)

·       “Significant change was reported for six of the nine psychological literacies.” (pg. 30)

·       “Compared with previous cohorts, grades also showed a shift upwards, with a higher proportion of final grades in the range between 60% and 80%.” (pg. 30)

·       “Together, these findings suggest that proactive interventions in the first semester of first year can enhance important aspects of learning and increase success for undergraduate psychology students.” (pg. 30)

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Abstract

Abstract
This article examines the effectiveness of a mentoring programme supporting the transition of first year psychology students. The programme, in which third year students worked with small groups of first year students within tutorials, was developed to enhance five aspects associated with student success (capability, connectedness, resourcefulness, purpose, and culture), encourage deep and strategic learning approaches, and build psychological literacy. The programme was implemented across the first year of the undergraduate programme at a metropolitan Australian university, and 241 first year students (166 females and 65 males) provided data for the evaluation study. Significant positive change was noted on three of the five aspects of student success, with an increase in deep and strategic learning approaches and a decrease in surface learning. Significant change was reported for six of the nine psychological literacies. Compared with previous cohorts, grades also showed a shift upwards, with a higher proportion of final grades in the range between 60% and 80%. Together, these findings suggest that proactive interventions in the first semester of first year can enhance important aspects of learning and increase success for undergraduate psychology students. Recommendations for amendments to the mentoring programme, particularly surrounding its use with mature age students, are discussed.

The first year experience in Australian higher education has become an issue of increasing prominence. Evidence suggests that up to 20% of Australian domestic students who begin university do not continue to their second year (Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, 2009). Attrition is costly for the student as well as the institution, both in financial and in human terms (Hare, 2010). Transition issues, with a focus on retention, have therefore emerged as important for the higher education agenda (Kift, 2008, 2009; Lizzio & Wilson, 2010; Nelson, Quinn, Marrington, & Clarke, 2012). The role of early engagement in the transition process has been noted as crucial, not only for the continued retention of students but also to establish approaches effective for learning throughout higher education (Tinto, 2009). In this project, we used the five senses of student success model developed by Lizzio ( 2006) as a framework for a mentoring programme designed to better support students in the first year of their undergraduate psychology study. The programme also focused on the enhancement of effective learning approaches and psychological literacies.

Five Senses of Student Success

The five senses of student success model is a conceptual summary of the variables that predict first year student satisfaction, engagement, and retention in higher education (Lizzio, 2006, 2012). The model is based on student needs in five areas (capability, connectedness, purpose, resourcefulness, and culture) and can be used to shape transition strategies, without prescribing solutions (Lizzio, 2006). Each of the five areas of student success and its characteristics is outlined in Table  1.

Peer mentoring: Supporting successful transition for first year undergraduate psychology students

20 November 2020

The model suggests that succeeding in the undergraduate psychology programme involves mastering specific curriculum knowledge ( capability). This knowledge in the undergraduate psychology curriculum has been specified in six graduate attributes (Cranney et al., 2009) and is set out in the accreditation standards of the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council ( 2010). The knowledge to be mastered by students includes understanding of core concepts, theories, and research in areas such as psychopathology, cognition, and personality, understanding and application of research methods and the scientific approach, as well as communication skills in a range of areas including research report writing and applying psychological principles.

The five senses model advocates that student success at university involves more, however, than the acquisition of discipline‐based knowledge. According to Lizzio ( 2006), the quality of the relationships a student develops with her peers and staff as well as her affiliation with the university ( connectedness) will impact on her well‐being and her experience at university. Additionally, a strong sense of purpose provides the commitment and persistence necessary to flourish. Successful students also know how and where to seek support for their learning, through university resources as well as policies and procedures, and can balance study with work and family commitments ( resourcefulness). Finally, successful students develop a cultural competence in the context of higher education ( culture), understanding the core values and ethics of the institution. Helping students build capacity in each of these five areas is a complex and considerable task and one that is unlikely to be accomplished by a single initiative or indeed confined to the first year of the programme. Nevertheless, peer mentoring is one intervention that has the capacity to address all five needs in a mutually beneficial way for both first year mentees and later year mentors.

As Husband and Jacobs ( 2009) noted, peer mentoring in the context of first year students helps new students 'adapt to a new study environment, course‐related problems, and general study issues and concerns' (p. 230). In this way, mentoring has the capacity to address several of the senses outlined in the five senses model. A strong evidence base already supports the use for peer mentoring for first year students, with positive outcomes including enhancements to academic achievement and self‐efficacy, as well as psychosocial aspects and well‐being (Chester, Xenos, & Burton, 2012; McKay, 2010; Telley & Chester, 2009; Terrion & Leonard, 2007). In addition, the low cost of implementing peer mentoring programmes makes them an especially attractive option (Heirdsfield, Walker, & Marsh, 2008).

The mentoring programme embedded in first year tutorials in the present study was specifically designed to develop the five senses. The programme was designed to enrich connection with colleagues through facilitated small group activities; build capability by guiding students through the assessment tasks of the first semester course while explicitly focusing on the development of productive learning approaches; help students explore their sense of purpose, supporting an exploration of why they are at university and an articulation of their personal goals; develop resourcefulness by learning effective time management, independent learning and help seeking skills; and learn about academic culture, including academic integrity, from a later year peer who had successfully navigated the terrain.

Learning Approaches

As well as focusing on the five senses of success, the mentoring model was explicitly designed to support the development of productive approaches to learning. Many models of learning styles and approaches exist. In this project, we used the tripartite model of deep, strategic, and surface learning proposed by Entwistle ( 2000). A deep approach to learning is associated with a desire to understand the material, a tendency to link ideas and seek relationships to other knowledge, the use of evidence to draw conclusions, and an intrinsic motivation for study. The strategic approach is associated with time management and planning, confidence, competitiveness, consciousness of the assessment demands, and a capacity to monitor progress. A surface approach is characterised by the lack of direction, reliance on rote learning, and fear of failure (Walker et al., 2010). Small but significant changes over time have been noted in deep, strategic, and surface learning among first year students following purposeful curriculum change (e.g., Walker et al., 2010). The peer mentoring programme described here was designed to develop deep and strategic approaches and minimise surface learning.

Psychological Literacy

The current project also examined the development of psychological literacy amongst first year students. Emerging as an important component of the psychology undergraduate curriculum and described by Morris, Cranney, Jeong, and Mellish ( 2013), psychological literacy is the capacity to adaptively apply psychological principles to meet personal, professional, and societal needs (Cranney & Dunn, 2011). It includes not only understanding basic psychological principles but also using them to understand oneself and others (Burton & McDonald, 2011). Psychological literacy encourages students to use their knowledge and skill to make a difference in their own lives and the lives of others. Developing psychological literacy in the first year of the programme has been identified as beneficial to students (Cranney, Morris, Spehar, & Scoufis, 2008).

Psychological literacy can be conceptualised as a set of abilities. McGovern et al. ( 2010) outlined the following nine items, which were included in the framework guiding our peer mentoring programme design:

1. understanding the basic concepts and principles of psychology

2. thinking critically

3. having problem solving skills

4. understanding scientific research practices

5. communicating well in many different contexts

6. applying psychological principles to personal, social, or organisational problems

7. acting ethically

8. having cultural competence and respecting diversity

9. having self‐ and other‐awareness and understanding

Research aims

The current project evaluated a peer mentoring model that was designed to build the five senses associated with success in higher education, enhance effective learning approaches, and develop psychological literacy among first year undergraduate psychology students. The larger project involved implementation at two Australian universities, one metropolitan and one regional, with a focus on transition for both first year mentees entering university and third year mentors completing the programme. This article focuses only on the data for first year students at the metropolitan Australian university, where mentoring was implemented in face‐to‐face classes.

It was hypothesised that compared with the start of semester, at the end of semester, positive changes would be noted for the five senses of success, learning approaches, and psychological literacy. Academic performance of the cohort was compared with performance in previous years to determine the potential impact on retention and spread of grades. Finally, it was hypothesised that first year students would evaluate the peer mentoring programme positively and perceive advantages in terms of work quality and sense of belonging.

Method

Participants

All 276 students enrolled in first year psychology at an Australian metropolitan university participated in the mentoring programme. A total of 231 first year students (166 females and 65 males) provided pre‐ and post‐test data (response rate = 83.7%). The average age for the first year students was 20.99 years (standard deviation ( SD) = 5.27). Two thirds of the sample (66.2%) was Australian born, and 80.3% were studying psychology as a major, with the remaining 19.7% studying the course as an elective or single enrolment. Less than half the students (43.9%) had completed school in the last 12 months.

Measures

A self‐report survey was developed for the larger project. Only those measures relevant to the aims of the current paper are discussed here.

Five senses of success

This scale was adapted from the work of Lizzio ( 2006). The scale consists of 73 items measuring the five subscales of capability (21 items), connectedness (16 items), purpose (12 items), resourcefulness (19 items), and culture (5 items). All items are responded to on a 5‐point Likert scale (1 =  strongly disagree to 5 =  strongly agree). Example items include, 'I have been helped to take charge of my own development as a university student' (capability); 'I have developed effective working relationships with fellow students in my course' (connectedness); 'I can see the relevance of what I am studying to my current and future life/career' (purpose); 'I have been told where I can get support with managing the everyday activities of being a student' (resourcefulness); and 'I have been assisted to work toward being independent and managing my own studies' (culture). The psychometric properties of the five subscales were reported by Sharrock ( 2011), showing satisfactory internal reliability estimates ranging from.80 for culture to.92 for capability. The internal consistencies of the subscales in the present study were capability (α = .91), connectedness (α = .87), purpose (α = .85), resourcefulness (α = .90), and culture (α = .80).

Learning approaches

Learning approaches were measured using the approaches and study skills inventory for students (ASSIST; Entwistle, 2000). The ASSIST measures three learning approaches: deep, strategic, and surface. The scale includes 52 items, each of which is answered on a 5‐point Likert scale (1 =  agree to 5 =  disagree). Because high scores on this scale indicate disagreement, all responses were reversed. The deep approach comprises four subscales (seeking meaning, relating ideas, use of evidence, and interest in ideas), the strategic approach comprises five subscales (organised studying, time management, alertness to assessment demands, and achieving and monitoring effectiveness), and the surface approach comprises four subscales (lack of purpose, unrelated memorising, syllabus‐boundness, and fear of failure). Examples of items include, 'I usually set out to understand for myself the meaning of what we have to learn' (deep learning); 'I organise my study time carefully to make the best use of it' (strategic learning); and 'I often have trouble in making sense of the things I have to remember' (surface learning). The ASSIST has demonstrated a sound factorial structure as well as good internal reliability and predictive validity (Gadelrab, 2011). The internal consistencies of the three learning approaches scales in the present study were deep (α = .85), strategic (α = .86), and surface (α = .79).

Psychological literacy

First year students self‐rated their competencies across the nine literacies outlined by McGovern et al. ( 2010) using a 4‐point scale (1 =  non‐existent, 2 =  poor, 3 =  reasonable, and 4 =  excellent). A single item was used to measure each literacy. An example of an item on this scale is: 'At this point in your education, how would you rate your knowledge of basic concepts/principles in Psychology?' The scale was developed for this study. Possible score ranges of each measure are presented in the Results section.

Peer mentoring evaluation

Three forced‐choice questions were administered to evaluate first year perceptions of the peer mentoring programme, as follows:

1. Peer mentoring helped the quality of my work.

2. Peer mentoring helped me feel like I belong.

3. I enjoyed peer mentoring.

Each question was answered on a 5‐point Likert scale (1 =  strongly disagree to 5 =  strongly agree). Further data on student perceptions of the mentoring programme were gathered via open‐ended questions on the best aspects of the mentoring programme and suggestions for improvements.

Academic performance

Academic performance was measured by marks achieved in the first year course in which peer mentoring took place. Marks were recorded as a percentage.

Procedure

All first year students were provided with peer mentoring in small groups of five to eight students during weekly tutorial time for 8 weeks of the 12‐week semester. All third year students were invited to participate as mentors. Those who participated did so as an option in a third year capstone course, which included training and weekly briefing seminars to prepare for mentoring sessions. Mentoring focused on assessment tasks in the first year curriculum, while also facilitating transition to university. The regular classroom tutor remained in the class for all mentoring sessions.

All first year students were invited to participate in the research component of the project and contribute their data. The survey was administered online via a secure website. The total testing time for the full survey was approximately 1-hr. Pre‐testing was completed in the first 2 weeks of the first semester; post‐testing was completed in the final 2 weeks of the semester. The project was approved by the University Human Research Ethics Committee.

Results

Data relevant to the four main outcome measures (senses of success, learning approaches, psychological literacies, and academic achievement) are reported later. In addition, student evaluations of the programme are included.

Five senses of success

A comparison of mean scores at the beginning and end of semester revealed significant increases on connectedness, culture, and resourcefulness. An increase, although not significant, was also noted on capability. The only scale on which there was no change was purpose. Pre‐ and post‐test comparisons (presented in Table 2) were conducted using Bonferroni adjusted alpha levels of.01 per test (.05/5). Effects sizes were all low.

Learning approaches

Compared with scores at the beginning of semester, scores at the end of semester revealed significant increases in deep and strategic learning (with moderate effect sizes) and a significant decrease in surface learning (with a small effect size). Learning approach scores, together with 13 subscale scores, are presented in Table 3. Pre‐ and post‐test comparisons for the subscale scores were conducted using Bonferroni adjusted alpha levels of.003 per test (.05/13). Changes in subscale scores were all in the anticipated direction, with the exception of syllabus‐boundness and fear of failure, both of which increased from the beginning to the end of the semester.

Psychological literacy

Comparison of pre‐ and post‐test psychological literacy mean scores (Table 4) showed increases on all nine of the psychological literacies by the end of semester. Given that each literacy was measured by a single item, pre‐ and post‐test comparisons were conducted using non‐parametric tests. Significant changes were noted on eight of the nine literacies. It is of note that the literacy on which there was no significant change (self‐awareness) had the highest pre‐test score.

Peer mentoring evaluation

Table 5 shows the percentage agreement with the three statements used to evaluate the peer mentoring programme. The programme was perceived to be acceptable. The majority of first year students enjoyed the programme (70%) and perceived it to positively influence their academic work (59%) as well as their sense of belonging (61%). Despite this generally positive perception, it is of note that 20% of students expressed a neutral position, and a further 20% did not support the value of the programme either academically or socially.

The quantitative data summarised previously was supplemented by responses to open‐ended questions about the best aspects of the mentoring programme and suggestions for improvements. Perceived to be most helpful was the opportunity to work in small groups (39.2%), facilitating opportunities to build relationships with colleagues, and reinforcing the importance of the connectedness sense of success. Also highly rated were the study tips that mentors shared (34.2%).

The most common suggestions to improve mentoring related to the skills and knowledge of specific mentors (20.7%), clarification of the mentor role (14.5%), and reducing the duration of the mentoring session (7.5%). As one student commented, 'I thought that there was a little too much emphasis on peer mentoring-it was definitely helpful and interesting but we often got through the content very quickly and spent ages just sitting around chatting instead of doing work.' A smaller group of students did not see peer mentoring as relevant to them. For example, one mature age student who had already completed a degree commented, 'Having a much younger person with less university and life experience try to mentor ... felt a little condescending.' Further exploration between age and peer mentoring evaluation responses revealed small but significant negative correlations ( p < .01) between age and the perceived value of peer mentoring to help improve work quality ( r = −.19) and sense of belonging ( r = −.20), as well as enjoyment of peer mentoring ( r  = −.19).

Academic performance

Final marks in the course in which mentoring took place were compared with final marks from a previous cohort who completed comparable assessment and had similar teaching but no tutorial‐based mentoring (Fig.  1). While the proportion of students who failed the course was comparable, the proportion of students with pass grades decreased, and a higher numbers of students achieved grades over 60%. The proportion of failing students who did not submit one or more pieces of assessment did not alter.

Discussion

Results from this study, in which a model of peer mentoring was embedded in the first year curriculum, provided general support for the hypotheses: significant, but small positive, change was noted on three of the five senses of success; deep and strategic learning approaches increased, and surface learning decreased; and positive change was reported for all nine psychological literacies, with significant change noted on eight of these. Together, these findings suggest that proactive interventions in the first semester of first year can be part of a package that enhances important aspects of learning and engagement. The findings are consistent with previous research, which suggests that mentoring can be a valuable transition strategy (Chester et al., 2012; Heirdsfield et al., 2008; McKay, 2010; Telley & Chester, 2009; Terrion & Leonard, 2007). Each of these variables is discussed in more detail later, limitations of the study examined, and suggestions for future research presented.

Small, but significant, increases in the senses of connectedness, culture, and resourcefulness were noted over the course of the semester, indicating positive change in important areas associated with success in higher education. These areas were specifically targeted in the mentoring programme. Implicit to the mentoring model was a small group interaction with peers and enhanced intra‐disciplinary communication, aspects predicted to enhance connectedness. The assessment tasks on which the mentors worked with their small groups of first year students emphasised core components of culture-ethics, academic integrity, and critical thinking. Mentors were also encouraged to help mentees with practical aspects such as finding the library and other facilities as well as pointing out relevant policies and procedures. These aspects were predicted to contribute to resourcefulness. It is therefore not surprising to find positive change on these three dimensions.

Less easy to explain is the lack of significant change on the capability dimension. The mentoring programme was designed to build capability by specifically supporting the development of knowledge and skills that underpin the first year assessment tasks as well as other study skills necessary to ensure a successful student transition. In addition, mentoring was designed to provide a forum in which concerns and worries could be addressed. It was therefore surprising that the change on capability was not significant. However, perhaps the mentoring process raised first year students' awareness of their relative lack of mastery of key psychological knowledge and skills and alerted them to the fact that they need to persevere with their studies to develop a deeper understanding and capability in psychological skills. It is therefore likely that this sense of success will continue to develop over the course of their degree and that the short 8‐week period between pre‐ and post‐tests was insufficient time for students to develop a sense of mastery in psychology.

It is of note that no change was observed for the dimension of purpose, a measure of disciplinary engagement, vocational direction, and personal development. The mentoring programme might build in greater emphasis on these aspects in the future. However, given that the majority of undergraduate students will not become psychologists (Cranney, Morris, & Spehar, 2012), vocational choice for these students is inherently complex.

An increase in deep learning over the course of the semester was associated with enhanced use of productive approaches, including seeking meaning, relating ideas, evidence‐based practice, and interest in ideas. The accompanying increase in strategic learning noted in the present study also indicates positive change, with students reporting enhanced organisation, time management, awareness of assessment demands, achievement motivation, and capacity to monitor their academic effectiveness. In comparison, the small decrease in surface learning was associated with reductions in rote learning and an increased sense of purpose. These changes position first year students well for their future study. Despite the general decrease in surface learning, unpredicted significant increases were noted on two surface learning subscales: syllabus boundness (focus on learning to meet assessment requirements) and fear of failure (anxiety about coping with study demands). Changes in psychological literacy may help to understand the latter.

Change on all nine psychological literacies was in the predicted direction, with increases reported at post‐test. Conclusions about change in psychological literacies should be made with some caution, given that each was measured with a single item developed for this study. Nevertheless, significant changes were noted on eight of the literacies, suggesting that these aspects can be substantially developed early in the undergraduate programme. It is of note that the psychological literacies on which no significant change was reported (self‐awareness) were the one with the highest pre‐test score; change in self‐awareness may therefore have been more difficult to obtain. Self‐awareness may help to explain the increased fear of failure reported by students at the end of the semester. Mentoring is particularly well placed to address fear of failure through the modelling of coping behaviours and providing a safe place to discuss concerns. To influence a positive impact on fear of failure, the mentoring programme could focus more explicitly on this element in the future. In addition, explicit development of the psychological literacy of application can skill students to manage their own unproductive reactions.

While fail grades did not decrease with the implementation of peer mentoring, grades generally increased, with a higher proportion of students gaining scores in the 60-80% range in the mentored group. Disappointingly, the proportion of failing students who did not submit one or more pieces of assessment did not change, a finding that may reflect the difficulty of supporting students who have already disengaged. While interventions embedded in the curriculum are available to all students, to access these sources of support, students need to engage with the curriculum and, in the case of the mentoring model, attend tutorials.

As predicted, the mentoring programme was positively evaluated, with the majority of students enjoying mentoring and perceiving it be a useful influence on their academic and social transition. Despite the positive outcomes associated with the mentoring programme, it is of note that a group of students, particularly older students, would have preferred to spend the time with their tutor. Student reflections suggest that the time devoted to mentoring could conceivably be reduced without compromising the benefits. In addition, the qualitative data highlight the need for some adjustment to mentor training to better support the third year mentors and for a more open discussion with all participants about the learning process and the legitimate role of mentors. As Outhred and Chester ( 2010) have noted, it is important to work with classroom tutors as key players in embedded mentoring programmes.

The study suggests that a first year experience that includes mentoring can produce positive change in knowledge, study skills, and psychological literacies in a single semester. Given the simple pre‐ and post‐test design, however, it is impossible to isolate the effects of the mentoring programme from other aspects of the experience for this first year cohort. The effects demonstrated in this study could be the result of maturation. The effects could be associated with aspects of the curriculum beyond mentoring, such as the assessment tasks themselves or work done in other courses. However, given that previous experimental studies in undergraduate psychology have supported the capacity of mentoring to support changes in academic self‐efficacy, academic performance, and well‐being (Chester et al., 2012), it is probable that at the very least, the mentoring programme contributed to the changes observed in the present study.

Results reported here suggest that this mentoring model, embedded into the curriculum, accessible to all first year students, is associated with a range of benefits. Potentially useful changes to the mentoring programme were indicated, including enhanced training and support for mentors, shortening the duration of mentoring sessions, and enhancing first year students' capacity for self‐awareness and application of psychological knowledge to manage anxiety about academic performance. Important work is also recommended to reinforce the role of the mentor as a legitimate authority in the learning process.

Future research might explore how specific groups of students respond to mentoring, in particular, mature age students, who in this study expressed less favourable attitudes than younger students. Other groups worth examining are students typically targeted in inclusive teaching approaches, such as students from low socioeconomic status backgrounds, students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and those who are first in family to undertake tertiary study. Finally, future longitudinal research would be useful to track changes over time, to examine how these early positive changes might be built on in later years of the undergraduate degree programme.

Sense

Characteristics

Capability

Understanding the student role and mastering of academic knowledge and skills

Connectedness

Building relationships with peers and staff, as well as identifying with the university

Purpose

Setting realistic goals, engaging with the discipline and developing a sense of vocation

Resourcefulness

Knowing about university resources and procedures. Balancing work, life, and study

Culture

Appreciating the core values and ethical principles of higher education

Possible score range

Pre‐test

Post‐test

t(230)

P

η²

M (SD)

M (SD)

Learning approach

Possible score range

Pre‐test

Post‐test

t(230)

p

η²

M (SD)

M (SD)

Psychological literacy ability

Pre‐test

Post‐test

p

M (SD)

M (SD)

Percentage of students

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Peer mentoring helped the quality of my work.

19

40

20

13

8

Peer mentoring helped me feel like I belong.

20

41

22

10

7

I enjoyed peer mentoring.

30

40

6

9

6

Acknowledgement

Support for this research has been provided by the Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching.

References

Australian Psychology Accreditation Council. (2010). Rules for accreditation and accreditation standards for psychology courses. Retrieved from http://www.psychologycouncil.org.au/Assets/Files/APAC_Rules_for%20_Accreditation_and_Accreditation_Standards_for%20_Psychology_Courses_Ver_10_June_2010.pdf

Cranney, J. , Morris, S. , & Spehar, B. (2012). The role of capstone experiences in scientific literacy, employability and global citizenship. Paper presented at the 47th Annual Conference of the Australian Psychological Society, Perth, September 27-30.

Cranney, J. , Morris, S. , Spehar, B. , & Scoufis, M. (2008). Helping first year students think like psychologists: Supporting information literacy and team‐work skill development. Psychology Learning and Teaching, 7, 28-36. doi: , https://doi.org/10.2304/plat.2008.7.1.28.[Crossref] [Google Scholar]

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Gadelrab, H. F. (2011). Factorial structure and predictive validity of the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) in Egypt: A confirmatory factor analysis study. Electronic Journal of Research in Educational Psychology, 9, 1197-2095.

Hare, J. (2010). High university drop‐out rates cost $1.4bn. Australian. Retrieved from http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher‐education/high‐university‐drop‐out‐rates‐cost‐14bn/story‐e6frgcjx‐1225940860074

Heirdsfield, A. M. , Walker, S. , & Marsh, K. M. (2008). Enhancing the first year experience-Longitudinal perspectives on a peer mentoring scheme. Paper presented at the Proceedings of the Australian Association for Research in Education, Fremantle, Australia.

Kift, S. (2009). Articulating a transition pedagogy to scaffold and to enhance the first year student learning experience in Australian higher education. Final report for ALTC Senior Fellowship Program. NSW: ALTC. Retrieved from http://www.fyhe.qut.edu.au/transitionpedagogy/reportsandre/documents/Kift_Sally_ALTC_Senior_Fellowship_Report_Sep_09.pdf

Lizzio, A. (2006). Designing an orientation and transition strategy for commencing students. Retrieved from http://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/51875/Alfs‐5‐Senors‐Paper‐FYE‐Project,‐2006.pdf

Lizzio, A. (2012). The student lifecycle: An integrative framework for guiding practice. Brisbane: Griffith University.

Lizzio, A. , & Wilson, K. (2010). Strengthening commencing students' sense of purpose: Integrating theory and practice. Retrieved from http://www.fyhe.com.au/past_papers/papers10/content/pdf/12D.pdf

Telley, A. , & Chester, A. (2009). Using peer mentoring to enhance groupwork skills, academic performance and transition in a group of 1st year university engineering students. Paper presented at the 2009 Monash Transition, Retention and Progression Forum, Melbourne, Australia.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Peer mentoring: Supporting successful transition for first year undergraduate psychology students

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Abstract Abstract This article examines the effectiveness of a mentoring programme supporting the transition of first year psychology students. The programme, in which third year students worked with small groups of first year students within tutorials, was developed to enhance five aspects associated with student success (capability, connectedness, resourcefulness, purpose, and culture), encourage deep and strategic learning approaches, and build psychological literacy.

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·       Considers cross age peer mentoring as a model to enhance the social relationships, learning skills and positive identity development of young people.

·       This article considers the evaluation process of a peer mentoring programme implemented in a secondary school in Australia.

·       Article is broken down into four sections

·       1. International literature and the local programme implemented.

·       2. Evaluation strategy and methods – a qualitative approach.

·       3. Key findings focusing on voices of the students – mentors and mentees.

·       4. Link findings to literature and how they support or diverge existing literature.

Key points from discussion:

·       Finding suggested that the benefits of the programme went further than the development of literacy skills.

·       Potential for enhancing social, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.

·       Mentees benefits included: “improvement in literacy skills, affirming learning experiences though engagement with supportive and trustworthy peers, and a greater sense of agency”

·       Mentor’s benefits included: “the development of communication, problem-solving and leadership skills, together with a strong sense of satisfaction about contributing positively to the program”.

·       Researchers acknowledge that they were unable to gain any measurable data and relied purely on qualitative data.

·       The researchers recognise that pre and post programme data would allow them to capture the findings.

·       Also noted that gender and ethnicity data would allow them to identify any social differences in outcomes.

·       It was also noted that staff engagement in the programme is also necessary otherwise they could inadvertently block learning activities.

Conclusion

·       The evaluation shows the potential and value in the cross-age peer mentoring programme, highlighting the main benefits for both academic and no academic skills.

·       It highlights meaningful, responsible relationship as being central to success.

·       It acknowledges the need for a more rigorous, measurable way of recording outcomes.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Cross-age peer mentoring is an educational model that builds on peer support and mentoring to assist young people to enhance social relationships, develop cognitive skills, and promote positive identity development. In this article, we outline the evaluation process of a cross-age peer-mentoring program implemented in an Australian secondary school. This program had a distinctive focus on blending cross-age peer mentoring, academic tutoring, and social support roles. We focus on the program's consumers - the voices of Year 7 students (mentees) and Year 10 students (mentors). Student perspectives were gathered using qualitative methods through repeated focus groups. Data were thematically analysed, and the findings show observed changes in social relationships, problem-solving skills, and engagement with literacy. We discuss the importance of this relationship for effective learning and examine the reported changes to engagement with relationship building. Implications for developing whole-of-school support and increasing wider participation are discussed.

Notes

1. Numeracy was a secondary area of activity for peer mentoring that was matched to individual student learning needs. This article focusses primarily on literacy as the central skill set for student development.

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The ABC of peer mentoring - what secondary students have to say about cross-age peer mentoring in a regional Australian school

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Cross-age peer mentoring is an educational model that builds on peer support and mentoring to assist young people to enhance social relationships, develop cognitive skills, and promote positive identity development. In this article, we outline the evaluation process of a cross-age peer-mentoring program implemented in an Australian secondary school.

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About our Student Peer Mentoring Service

The Student Peer Mentoring Service is available to all students as soon as they have accepted an offer to study with CCCU. The service is run by students for students and its focus is the wellbeing of our students. Student Peer Mentors are trained to provide a safe and confidential space for their fellow students to talk freely about anything and ask questions. Peer Mentors can provide reassurance, guidance and signposting to other services to help fellow students succeed through sharing their own knowledge and experience.
Why Mentoring is an important tool in Higher Education?
Student Peer Mentors help you support your students.

Research and practice have shown that the use of Peer Mentoring schemes is beneficial for both students and staff. Mentoring offers many benefits to both the Mentor and the Mentee, including an overall enhanced learning experience, improved retention, better degree outcomes, the development of key graduate employability skills, and a greater sense of belonging.

For staff and module leaders, Student Peer Mentors help you to support your students both academically and personally. At CCCU, we proudly have a diverse variety of students and staff, and to support this diversity we recruit peer mentors from various backgrounds and differing experiences - each with their own unique insight to share. If you are working to build Peer Mentoring within your course to promote and encourage diversity, targeting students with different backgounds and ethnic profiles is essential.
Student Mentoring Models Available:
Pre-arrival Peer Mentors provide online (email) reassurance and guidance to new, returning, or distant students who have not yet commenced their studies but have a conditional or firm offer to study at CCCU.

The pre-arrival peer mentoring process:

A student may request a pre-arrival Peer Mentor as soon as they have accepted an offer to study with CCCU, but prior to them commencing their studies.

Students are matched according to their preferences or as near as possible.

The mentoring relationship is flexible so that it fits around students, their studies and other commitments.

A student mentor can choose the amount of time they devote to mentoring and how many mentees they can manage.

Both participants can change their mentor or mentee at any point.

How the mentoring relationship will work is for both participants to agree and decide. This will form the contract/boundaries for the mentoring relationship.

Pastoral Peer Mentors provide both online or face-to-face reassurance and guidance (subject to COVID-19 regulations) to students who are currently studying at CCCU.

The Pastoral Peer Mentoring Process:

A current student can request a pastoral peer mentor at any point during their studies.

Students are matched according to their preferences or as near as possible.

The mentoring relationship is flexible so that it fits around students, their studies, and other commitments.

A student mentor can choose the amount of time they devote to mentoring and how many mentees they can manage.

Both participants can change their mentor or mentee at any point.

How the mentoring relationship will work is for both participants to agree and decide. This will form the contract/boundaries for the mentoring relationship.

This programme has been uniquely designed for students that identify as Black, Asian, Mixed Heritage or Minority Ethnic. The programme aims to improve the experience of Black, Asian and Mixed Heritage and Minority Ethnic students, enhance learning and celebrate success and collaboration.

As mentoring provides opportunities for students to build a reciprocal relationship through empathy, listening, providing guidance and shared experiences, the Believe, Achieve, Mentor and Empower programme provides opportunities for students from a range of different cultural backgrounds to create a sense of community and shared understanding. Under the Believe, Achieve, Mentor and Empower programme, where possible students will be matched up with mentors from similar cultural backgrounds.

Course Peer Mentoring provides subject-specific facilitated study sessions. Students are trained to be Peer Assisted Learning Leaders (PALs) to help enhance student understanding of the course. Course Mentoring can be facilitated to the needs of your students and typically consist of weekly or fortnightly in person or virtual group sessions enabling reflection on taught content, to achieve a set task designed to consolidate learning. It facilitates discussion, it is not teaching, and it allows students to raise questions in a safe and confidential environment about any fears, challenges, or other issues that they may be facing.

The PAL Process:

PALs run and facilitate peer assisted study sessions (PASS) for fellow students on their course in the level below.

PALs provide a safe and confidential space for students to ask questions.

PALs are trained in how to structure and lead flexible sessions so everyone can participate.

PALs are supported by their Academic Contact (academic member of staff in their course).

PALs do not teach, lecture, or give out the answers.

PALs may help with problem-solving, study skills and exam techniques, as well as preparation for coursework, assignments, and presentations.

PALs know what their students are going through because they 'have been there' and been successful.

PALs agree with the PAL group which material they want to review, improve on, or understand better.

PAL groups should bring lecture notes, hand-outs and/or textbooks to refer to in the session.

PALs and the PAL groups agree together how the group will work together to form the contract/boundaries for the group.

Benefits for Staff

Staff have said that using peer mentors within their course has helped:

students supporting each other with general enquiries, and in the use of certain systems, such as Blackboard and Turnitin. This proves particularly useful for staff as it decreases student reliance and frees up your time.

with the reporting of issues to key course staff to aid in quicker resolutions. This helps with Student Staff Liaison Meetings as resolutions can be reported on rather than issues.

students to develop real-life transferable graduate attributes, such as improving their leadership and presentation skills to help build self-confidence, and other skills often sought for in graduate jobs.

with the overall health and mental wellbeing of students, enabling any issues to be made known to staff more swiftly and ensuring both student and staff have an adequate amount of time to complete assessments or other work in.

Benefits for Students

How can I get involved?

Help your students connect with a peer mentor. Students can request a mentor at any point during their studies. Simply direct them to the webpage where they complete a form to request a mentor.

Encourage your students to apply to volunteer. Peer Mentors will receive full training and support from the Peer Mentoring team and can apply for any of the Peer Mentorship roles by completing this online form.

Initiate a Course Mentor programme to support volunteers running subject-specific peer-assisted study sessions to help enhance student understanding of your course. Please get in contact with the Peer Mentoring team to discuss how to set this up.

You can contact the Peer Mentoring team for additional guidance at peermentoring@canterbury.ac.uk.

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The Student Peer Mentoring Service is available to all students as soon as they have accepted an offer to study with CCCU. The service is run by students for students and its focus is the wellbeing of our students.