Peer mentors
Peer Support is made up of two programmes:
- Peer Mentoring - available to new first year undergraduate students.
- Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS)
Our Peer Mentoring programme hopes to see you get the most from your transition into university life!
As a new student you can receive 1-1 contact with an experienced student mentor during your first term at UoB. Your mentor can answer questions you may have about the university and city of Bristol; they can provide you with tailored guidance and advice to help you settle in and successfully navigate your start to university.
What is a Peer Mentor?
A Peer Mentor is a current student at the university, usually within their second or third year. Their job is to provide support and guidance to first year students new to the university and, in most cases, new to Bristol.
A Peer Mentor has lived experience of the transition into life at UoB; they will remember what it feels like to be establishing a new lifestyle in an unfamiliar environment amongst new people. Acting as a primary source of support and reassurance, Peer Mentors can use their invaluable, first-hand experience to support students experiencing this transition for the first time.
Your mentor will:
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Understand what it feels like to start university
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Be understanding and supportive
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Be fully trained for the role
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Have access to people, services and resources to help you get the most out of university
What can a Peer Mentor help me with?
Peer mentors can help with a broad range of things and will signpost you to services or other forms of support if they do not have the answer. Common things Peer Mentors support with include:
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What to bring to university
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Societies and events available at UoB
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Support and services available at UoB
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Where local amenities/attractions are located
You can choose to do a variety of activities with your Peer Mentor, you might like to:
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Meet for a chat
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Arrange a video call
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Exchange emails and messages
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Go on a campus tour
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Go for a coffee
- Meet up with other first-year students
How does the programme work?
- LGBTQ+ identity
- Faith, ethnic or cultural background
- Care leaver or estranged student status
- Mature student status
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The programme runs from the start of the academic year in September and runs until January. In some instances, the mentoring relationship can continue for another term; this is reviewed on an individual basis.
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Once you have requested a Peer Mentor, you will receive an introductory email from them before starting your course. After that you will hear from your mentor every 1-2 weeks. You can decide with your mentor how you wish to be contacted, but contact can include in-person meetings, email and phone contact.
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Contact is typically no longer than 1 hour per week, but you may find this changes over time. Your mentor will understand if your engagement with them changes as you settle in or if something comes up later in the term and you need their help – they recognise that everyone’s experience is different.
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Things you discuss with your mentor will remain private and are protected by a confidentiality agreement that you will read through with your mentor at the start of your relationship. Confidentiality will only be broken in line with the University’s safeguarding policy – this will be explained to you by your mentor.
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Before closing your mentoring relationship in January, your mentor will signpost you to additional services relevant to you and provide you the opportunity to address any final questions or queries you may have.
Questions?
If you have any questions about Peer Mentoring, please email us: student-peer-support@bristol.ac.uk
What should I do if I haven’t heard from my Peer Mentor?
If you requested a Peer Mentor by the initial deadline and haven’t heard from them by the start of Welcome Week, please first check your junk email mailbox. They will email you from their University of Bristol email address.
If you still require support please email us: student-peer-support@bristol.ac.uk
Sign up for a mentor
Requests for mentors (22/23) are now closed. We expect to reopen the request form in August for students starting in September 2023.
When it is open the form will be linked from this page.
Become a Peer Mentor
We are now recruiting for Peer Mentors for the 2023/24 academic year.
To find out more about this role and to apply see the Peer Mentor job listing on mycareer.
Deadline for applications is 21st February, 11.59pm.