Peer Mentoring Programme
The Peer Mentoring Programme aims to provide support for our new Year 8 students – individually and as a group, to help them settle in, make progress and to achieve their full potential within Dromore High School.
Mentors will provide individual and group support from the initial stages of the Year 8’s life within Dromore High School. They will be selected and given training to ensure that they have the skills necessary to support young people who might be daunted by some of the obstacles they face during their transition from Primary to Secondary school.
The Peer Mentoring Programme encourages Year 14 pupils to play a responsible role in the school community and ensures that new students are secure in the knowledge that there are always older pupils available and willing to help them.
The Role of the Mentor
The Mentors role is to act on behalf of the School to support new students. Peer Mentors are invaluable as they will have experienced the same issues and concerns and can offer support from a young person’s perspective. The Mentor will act with the best interests of the young person in mind at all times and within the structures set down by the School.
The Mentor is not:
A teacher.
A counsellor.
A social worker.
The Mentor will not:
Give advice based on personal opinions.
Do the young person’s work for them.
Take advantage of the young person in anyway.
The Mentor will:
Help new students settle into Dromore High School.
Help to establish good communication between new students and teachers and other students.
Provide support for young people who might be isolated and lack self-confidence.
Provide support in getting to know a new learning environment.
Offer appropriate advice and guidance.
Help new students see the way ahead.
Help mentees to manage time, plan and organise work.
Becoming a Mentor
Year 14 students will be informed of the Programme upon their return to school at the beginning of the new academic year. They will be given a presentation by the teacher responsible for Mentoring about the Peer Mentoring Programme.
Interested Year 14 students must complete the application process.
All students who apply will be interviewed.
Successful candidates will receive training prior to the start of their Mentoring responsibilities. Training involves:
SESSION ONE
What is Peer Mentoring?
What issues will these young people have, what support is needed?
Personal skills – academic or pastoral?
Academic support
Listening skills / Communication skills
Pastoral support
Paperwork.
Staff support network.
SESSION TWO
Promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children.
Child Protection Training – Child Protection Officer.
SESSION THREE
Year 8 HoD outlines vision for current Year 8.
Allocation of Mentors to Year 8 classes and individual students.
Outline of individual student requirements.
Information booklets provided.
Selection of Responsibilities
Peer Mentors can then select which area they would like to focus upon for the year.
Areas of responsibility include:
o Form Class Mentor – two mentors are appointed to each Year 8 Form Class. Mentors visit their class on a Monday and Wednesday. The following activities are carried out:
MONDAY: Assist teacher in any way that seems helpful – check uniform, check that planners are signed. Hand out notes. Encourage their class to attend and do stuff extracurricular activities. Chat with the year 8’s and get to know them.
WEDNESDAY: Wednesday is activity day – Icebreakers, use of the Year 8 activity booklet, clips from YouTube followed by discussion, revision techniques.
OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES: attending School Services at the Cathedral, attending Year 8 Activities and helping with class Assembly.
o One-on-one Mentoring – at the end of September some student’s from within Year 8 who need extra support are given a personal Mentor. The Mentor will meet with their mentee whenever needed and offer the relevant support – organisational support, homework guidance, pastoral support.
o Numeracy Group – Year 14 students taking A2 Mathematics are encouraged to give support to the Maths Department at their morning Numeracy Group.
o Drop-in Centre – Peer Mentors run a drop in centre at Break/Lunch time to give additional support to Year 8 students – this can cover homework support, help with pastoral/bullying issues or sometimes just for a chat!
Past Student Peer Mentoring Comments
