ISANA

Helen Farrell, Cristina Pastore, Neera Handa, Joanne Dearlove, Ed Spalding

Abstract: Peer mentoring, a collaborative program offered at University of Western Sydney, may enhance the educational outcomes and the first year experience of many first year university students. Learning Advisors, Counsellors and academics work together to train and support peer mentors from various Schools within the University. In training mentors, lecturing and content teaching is kept to a minimum. The group process, that is most used in the training of student peer mentors at UWS, is modelling of desired behaviours followed by opportunities for the trainee mentors to strengthen their skills by role rehearsal exercises in which mentors work towards facilitating cooperation, teamwork, joint responsibility and non-directive task oriented activity. This is followed by exercises that teach appropriate group facilitation techniques and finally by trainees preparing and running their own mentoring sessions.

This paper discusses the processes and benefits of this program for the mentees as well as the mentors using the program conducted at UWS as an example. The paper also suggests that mentoring is a suitable strategy for improving the first year experience of international students beginning university in Australia.

Key Words: Peer mentoring, transition, integrated academic support programs, international students.

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