{"id":258,"date":"2017-11-15T11:50:58","date_gmt":"2017-11-15T11:50:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/employabilitypoints\/?p=258"},"modified":"2017-11-15T15:46:12","modified_gmt":"2017-11-15T15:46:12","slug":"peer-mentoring-on-the-historic-dockyard-are-you-making-the-most-of-the-support-available","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/employabilitypoints\/2017\/11\/15\/peer-mentoring-on-the-historic-dockyard-are-you-making-the-most-of-the-support-available\/","title":{"rendered":"Peer Mentoring on the Historic Dockyard: are you making the most of the support available?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cPeer mentoring is flexible, confidential, and fits around your availability\u201d (SMFA)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cTake charge of your learning, build your knowledge and confidence, whilst improving your academic performance\u201d (KBS)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re talking to someone who\u2019s done what you\u2019ve done, can relate and therefore has a more personal understanding of your situation.\u201d (SMFA Peer Mentor)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cLearning from someone who has been in my position helped me understand university-level assignments – sometimes it takes a new perspective to reach the \u2018oh, I understand it now\u2019 moment!\u201d (former KBS mentee)<\/em><\/p>\n

There is simply no subject I would rather discuss.\u00a0\u00a0 Beneath its historic majesty, Chatham\u2019s Historic Dockyard is home to two bespoke peer mentoring schemes.\u00a0 They have been purposefully set up to help students of creative and business disciplines alike effectively manage the transition to university life.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve never strictly been a peer mentor, but a 10-month placement role as Student Experience Assistant within Kent Business School last year involved coordination of the school\u2019s 25 Stage 2 mentors to a total count of 381 1:1 sessions with new students between October 2016 and April 2017.<\/p>\n

I saw first-hand the immense benefits such schemes can have on mentors and mentees, as well as the school\u2019s desire to establish a community of support.\u00a0 The potential to harness this into something grand and sustainable has also inspired a final-year dissertation project into peer mentoring on the University of Kent\u2019s Medway campuses.<\/p>\n

From my EP perspective, mentoring is a great way to gain points (45 for fully-trained mentors!)<\/strong>; however, this article\u2019s primary and personal objective is to raise awareness of schemes in the two Dockyard-based schools: the School of Music & Fine Art (SMFA) and Kent Business School (KBS) to ensure you as students are aware of this support and feel comfortable utilising it.<\/p>\n

Administrative staff work incredibly hard to facilitate this provision and it\u2019s completely free to sign up as a new mentee – what better way to make the most of your time studying on such a beautiful site?<\/p>\n

School of Music & Fine Art<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

SMFA\u2019s peer mentoring scheme is informal and open to all students, on any programme, across every year of study.\u00a0 It has been designed to \u00a0\u201cfoster cross-year support within the school, encourage students to support each other and learn collaboratively.\u00a0 The scheme is flexible, confidential and fits around your availability and preferences\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n

Potential benefits to interested mentees are diverse, but include the following:<\/p>\n