Uni Mentor Scheme

The Uni Mentor Scheme is an exciting Student Services initiative which is growing bigger by the year. In 2001 we expect to have over 2,000 students involved!

The aim of the scheme is to improve the transition of first years from school to university and to increase communication and networking opportunities within the student body. First year students are matched in groups with senior students who are trained as mentors, to give advice, answer questions and assist the new students with any problems they may encounter.

The Uni Mentor Scheme grew from an initiative by the Women in Science and Engineering Program in Student Services. WISE set up a mentor scheme in engineering to assist with first years’ transition and to promote cultural change within the Faculty. Over the years, it has been extremely successful in creating an inclusive environment for all students in engineering and promoting ethical and responsible behaviour.

The Uni Mentor Scheme is now in its second year of operation and we have already recruited over 600 mentors and over 1,000 first years (and rising…).

Why do we see a need for a large scale program like the Uni Mentor Scheme? Many first year students struggle with a new environment, particularly those who are new to Perth, those who have come from non-traditional backgrounds or those who form a minority group. Students face many challenges, including dealing with increased autonomy, time management issues and learning the mores of a new and often complex social environment. Mentors can assist students by making them feel welcome and part of a group as well as passing on their own tips and advice about surviving first year.

One very positive outcome of the Uni Mentor Scheme is that the mentors learn a great deal from both the mentor training and the experience of mentoring. The training covers issues such as respecting diversity, improving communication skills (including active listening), and effective team work. Being a mentor gives them the opportunity to significantly develop these crucial generic skills.

The success of the Uni Mentor Scheme relies heavily on effective communication between the students themselves and continuous feedback to the co-ordinator of the scheme. With around 2,000 students involved, extensive use is made of email and the Mentor website as the primary form of communication. This has its limitations, as not all students log on to email regularly, but one of the challenges for this year will be to encourage all students to do so. Students will also be encouraged to mentor by email as well as face to face. In this way they can keep in touch with their group regularly, without taking too much time.

The Uni Mentor Scheme is the only scheme of its type in an Australian university in terms of its size, coverage and participation rate. It was selected as a finalist for the 2000 Australian Awards for University Teaching and won a high commendation for its excellence in the provision of student support services that assist the learning of students.

Through the scheme we are building up a body of active, committed students who are prepared to give back to their university and their fellow students. We have begun to use this group of students for other extra curricular activities (for example, in 2001 a select group of mentors will visit targeted secondary schools to talk about life at Uni). In the future we hope to develop a broad package of activities in which mentors can get involved, all of which will contribute to their academic, personal and interpersonal development.

For more information, contact the Co-ordinator, Barbara Goldflam, on ext 3028, email unimentor@uwa.edu.au or check out the website: www.mentor.uwa.edu.au