Peer Support Programs at University
During the first daunting weeks and months of starting university, first year students may feel excited, but are often nervous and lost. With a poor understanding about university life or the course they have enrolled in, and meagre assistance from pre-university orientations, it is no surprise that one in five students drop out of their course before the end of their first year (Huni, 2019). Facing an array of social, emotional and academic challenges, this transitional period from high school to university is a crucial time in student’s lives. Supportive and nourishing interactions with peers is essential, so programs for students run by fellow students — peer mentoring — is an important feature of a seamless transition to university. With the aim to make this period relatively stress-free and exciting, rather than daunting and anxiety-ridden, peer mentoring offers a plethora of benefits for students, mentors, parents and universities alike. Using this concept as a focal point, this essay will present the argument that peer mentoring should be a standardised program offered to students transitioning from high school to university. Through discussions of the beneficial implications on student’s social skills, sense of belonging, stress levels and academic success, it becomes evident that peer mentoring is a highly successful tool during this challenging period. Despite minor refutations of debated meanings and merely comparable results, the program is proven to positively effect students transitioning to university.
Founded on principles of coaching psychology, the conversational nature of peer mentoring allows students to gain insight on the daily logistics of university life, as well as skills regarding time and stress management (Huni, 2019). Comprised of an established relationship between a senior individual (mentor) and a lesser skilled or inexperienced individual (mentee), the program aims to help students succeed through the development of confidence, skills, knowledge, and a deeper understanding of university culture. Overall, the process can be described as, “…spontaneous, holistic, and directed by mentees needs and interests”, leaving participants inspired, enthused and empowered (Risquez, 2012, p. 214). With an emotional and psychosocial understanding at the centre of these relationships, students have reported peers offer the best avenue of support. One participant described how, “…it was so good to hear from people who have just been through what we’re about to go through” (Huni, 2019). Thus, mentors’ ability to identify needs in students and match expectations to reality, paired with the program’s informal nature, distinguish peer mentoring from other on-campus services (Girdler, Hamilton & Stevens, 2016).
The establishment of new social networks is an essential factor when transitioning to university — peer mentoring offers a successful avenue of linking students who otherwise may find it difficult to form connections (Pancer, 2004). Loneliness and the absence of socialisation skills are the main difficulties faced by these students, preventing personal growth and detrimentally impacting their mental and physical health (Horgan & Sweeny, 2013). A 1986 study on first-year university students found social support was highly effective in reducing depression and easing stress during the transition to a higher level of study (South University, 2013). Students develop lifelong connections and cross-cultural relationships through regular socialisation, maintaining their sense of self and boosting confidence. Assisted by an experienced student mentor, their guidance enhances personal relationships and is especially useful to mentees lacking support networks when entering university. By sharing information regarding their own social and personal lives, mentors provide key insight into the development of relationships at university (Risquez, 2012). Furthermore, the capability of peer mentoring to create valuable social networks reinforces the necessity of this program during the transition to university.
Regarded as a highly effective strategy for increasing student satisfaction, peer mentoring enhances mentees’ sense of belonging and identification with their respective universities (Shook, 2012). With participants more likely to bring up concerns regarding their adjustment to higher education, the demand for existing services is lowered significantly (Thomas & Schwitzer, 1998). This provides a degree of value for the university itself — peer mentoring emphasises participation and community development, making it an essential element of institutional quality (Risquez, 2012). The results from a 1998 study regarding the effects of peer mentoring indicated that the program promoted higher levels of active engagement in university life and enhanced students’ self-concept (Shukla, 1998). Thus, the importance of utilising peer mentoring programs as a transitional tool to university life is made evident by the establishment of mentees’ sense of belonging and identification.
Peer mentoring is also reported to assist in preventing the negative impacts of stress brought about by the transition to university. A combination of the need to form new relationships, the adjustment to different learning styles, absence of family support-networks and increased expectation of autonomy in study and life pose potential stressors to students, threatening their mental health and adjustment to university (Cleary, Jackson & Walter, 2011). By easing these feelings of anxiety and helplessness associated with this period, students can enjoy their passions and celebrate their strengths and abilities. Through the sharing personal issues, mentors offer an avenue where students can receive emotional support (Horgan & Sweeny, 2013). Research demonstrates how mentees subsequently thrive and learn to manage the stresses associated with university life (Pancer, 2004). A 2003 study of first-year students undergoing peer mentoring discovered that mentees with high-levels of anxiety reported considerably lower levels of stress than those with the same condition who did not participate (Shukla, 1998). This positive effect clearly indicates peer mentoring’s tangible role in stress prevention during students’ transitionary period.
Considered as one of the most effective methods of increasing student retention, peer mentoring offers an unparalleled approach to providing academic support. First year students’ adjustment to the demands of university-level assessment impacts their performance and subsequent retention of information significantly (Risquez, 2012). With considerably higher rates of retention than their non-participant counterparts, mentees early access to information regarding resources, academic success and skill development are highly valuable (Chan, 2010). Mentors offer a plethora of guidance ranging from advice regarding exams, materials, teachers, classes and priorities, to time-management skills and moral support on academic issues. Additionally, they strive to aid the development and planning of mentees’ education and career paths — providing information surrounding work placement, post-graduate study, and professional options (Devenish, 2009). The emphasis on the importance of study groups and referral to advisory systems and other services also positively impact student’s academic success. Overall, the academic benefits associated with peer mentoring clearly illustrates its place as a standardised transitionary program.
In contrast, counterarguments of limited evidence and debated definitions act to undermine the argument that peer-mentoring programs are a useful and highly effective tool for students during the transition from high school to university. The understanding of peer mentoring as an effective support strategy for students during the transition to higher education is relatively limited. A variation of studies found the programs had no tangible effects on mentee retentions rates, minor positive effects on achievement, and merely comparable rates of lowered anxiety to those not utilising peer mentoring as a transitional tool (Lawson, 1989). However, despite this lack of statistical significance, peer mentoring is widely regarded as the single, most effective tool for increasing overall student satisfaction (Chan, 2010). Similarly, the results from another independent study indicated that mentees with high rates of reported anxiety scored significantly better than their counterparts not subject to the additional support offered by mentors (Lawson, 1989). Additionally, inconsistences regarding terminology and the application of peer mentor programs are rife within relevant literature (Devenish, 2009). It is argued that terminology is extremely important as an understanding of what the program entails is vital to the improvement and development of peer mentoring, as well as a comparative evaluation (Egege, 2015). While this debate is valid, it can also be argued that agreement regarding definitions is merely secondary to the benefits of the actual practice. The diverse opinions regarding what mentoring programs constitute pose no true threat to its success as a transitional tool.
Overall, despite the counterarguments of unclear definitions and limited results, the effectiveness of peer mentoring as a transitional tool is made evident by the program’s various beneficial qualities.
Entrusted with the responsibility of being accountable for their own education, first year university students suffer from an array of social, emotional and academic challenges. Classified as ‘adults’, these students often feel lost and overwhelmed during the first few daunting weeks of university. Designed to ease stress and promote excitement, peer mentoring programs support beneficial interactions with fellow students — making it an essential element of a successful transition to university life. This essay has presented the argument that peer mentoring should become a standardised transitional program available to all students. Its various benefits, in terms of promoting students’ social skills, sense of belonging, and academic success, as well as lowering stress levels, were analysed and discussed, clearly demonstrating peer mentoring’s usefulness during this challenging period. The minor refutations of comparable results and conflicting definitions were rebutted, illustrating the program’s positive impacts on transitioning students.
References
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