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Rafael

BSc (Hons) Psychology

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Peer Mentors act as a friend in the year above whose experience can help new students as they start university. New students can expect support, advice, and someone who can answer their questions.

Being a Peer Mentor

I decided to become a Peer Mentor because I remembered how turbulent and difficult my first semester here at Newcastle was, and so now, having got to grips with everything here as a third year, I wanted to be able to help first years who may be finding it hard just like I did.

As a Peer Mentor, you guide your mentees by answering their questions and providing advice to help them adjust to life here at Newcastle University. Peer Mentors act as a friend in the year above whose experience can help new students as they start university.

From a Peer Mentor, new students can expect support, advice, and someone who can answer their questions. If there is something they don’t know, they will probably know who to signpost their mentees to. Peer Mentors are friendly and above all, approachable, as they know that starting university can be an anxious time.  

 

Benefits of being a Peer Mentor

I would say that the transferable skills I have developed as a Peer Mentor are listening skills, sharing information, public speaking, leadership and group management.

It felt great to hear that I had won FMS Peer Mentor of the Year. I put a lot of effort into creating a space where my mentees could talk and converse amongst each other so that they would feel less alone and unsure. Being nominated made it feel like it was all worth it and that I’d succeeded in doing that.

For those students thinking about being a Peer Mentor, I’d say they should definitely go for. It’s a very fulfilling experience, especially if your group engage in the activities and in conversations. Just think about what you would have appreciated and benefited from in first year from a Peer Mentor and try and strive to do those things for your mentees.