By Free Guest Posting 
They say that as long as you are a student, your life is sorted. Little do they know, however, that due to the pressures, deadlines, lack of mentorship, and ineffective support, being a student feels like walking on thin ice. As a result, honestly speaking, one never knows when they might stumble and fall prey to an F grade.
Therefore, it is better to find yourself a strong support in the shape of a peer mentorship program. This way, not only will the students improve, but they will also become confident enough to grow better. This is the right time to explore these programs; therefore, if you want to learn more, continue reading.
Peer Mentorship Program to the Students’ Rescue
A peer mentor is a person with specialized knowledge in a particular genre, field or stream. It can be either a woman or a man who uses the wealth of acumen to educate, guide and support someone less experienced. However, as the word’ peer mentor’ suggests, both the mentor and the mentee are at the same career or life stages.
This form of mutual support, where everyone is holding someone’s back, is a great initiative and can be life-changing for some students. For instance, scholars can avoid hiring the thesis binding Canada service and ask for help from class fellows.
As a result of this reciprocal relationship between learners, those who could not afford expensive writing help services will now be able to find assistance.
Moving on, a truth bomb about this relationship is that every student can be a mentor because every mentor was once a student. This means all it takes to be a helping hand is to have a few of the following sets of skills, and you are good to go.
- You should be proud of whatever they are doing.
- You should have sharp listening skills.
- You should never just listen but also give constructive criticism.
- You should treat the mentee’s problems as if they are your own.
- You should be respectful, enthusiastic and broad-minded.
- When you take responsibility, you must own it.
- You can become a role model with your positive behavior.
- Some of the effective traits include:
- Patience
- Empathy
- Flexibility
- Reliability
- Encouraging
- Inspiring
- Adaptable.
- You must also be very warm and welcoming, making sure that fellow students can come to you without hesitation.
The Two-Fold Impact of Peer Mentorship Programs
The peer mentorship programs can be beneficial for both the involved parties. Perhaps this is why it is called the reciprocal relationship. Let’s explore the contrast through a table.
| Rewards for the Mentee | Rewards for the Mentor |
| A person who seeks help from his fellow gets spot-on and real-time advice about the basic stuff like course selection, study strategies, exam preparation and time management. As a result, his grades are improved. | When you serve as an advisor or guide, you develop leadership, communication and interpersonal skills. |
| Because of the reason that the mentor is at the same level as the mentee, he shall provide excellent individualized support and encouragement. For instance, one can help others by proofreading dissertation. | Teaching others can help you revisit those knowledge sections, and the concepts get reinforced in your mind. As a result, not only do they understand better, but they also score better. |
| The help seekers get to benefit from the shared experiences and perspectives of their peers. This means learning becomes more engaging and interesting. | As a mentor, you are not just helping others grow. Instead, you are also growing simultaneously and becoming self-aware. |
| The result of constant support and the feeling that your guide is in the same boat as you gives a sense of encouragement and boosts confidence. | When the learners are constantly talking to each other for support and meeting new fellows, it is easier to develop strong bonds that will be useful later. |
| A reciprocal relationship with one of the community members makes the student feel more at home and welcomed. He may also feel closer to the educational institute. | Helping others, contributing to community service and sharing your expertise are the best favors you can do to yourself. It is the world’s best, rewarding experience that gives you purpose in life. |
| The peer-mentoring program is more than just basic activities, assignments and exams. It is way beyond that, where learners teach each other soft skills, too. For instance, the ability to effectively communicate, work in teams and have better social bonds. | The person who shares his experience and knowledge with others becomes more confident than ever. It gives you self-assurance to present yourself in front of others. |
| By learning from your peers, you get to sit with them, discuss things and make new contacts. This way, through networking, you can easily collect resources. | We said it before, and we will say it again: there is no better word for a peer-mentorship program than reciprocal bonds. Hence, whenever the mentor needs help, he finds guidance from the students he helped earlier. |
The Frequently Asked Questions of a Student
Q. What is the goal of this type of mentorship style?
The major focus of getting help from fellows is to develop a strong, supportive bond between two learners. A bond where they can smoothly share information, experiences and perspectives.
Q. How does it affect students?
When a fellow is there to help you with all the basic and intricate procedures, it keeps you from making mistakes. For example, your choices will be healthier and more informed when you discuss them with a friend.
Q. How are coaching and mentoring different?
They are both almost the same, with only the difference in scope. Coaching is quite short-lived. However, the mentorship programs are long-term relationships based on career and personal growth.
Q. Does age matter in peer mentoring programs?
Generally, age is not a considerable factor in such situations. It is the level of experience, the willingness, the ability to lead and empathy that make you a true mentor.
Final Words on Peer Mentorship Programs in Educational Institutes
Speaking of peer mentorship programs, know that it is a straightforward process of pairing students with fellow peers as mentors.
This great initiative was designed to offer guidance and support to the mentees in order to make sure they do their best, academically and socially. Moreover, these programs can help them improve the graph of a student’s success by developing in them a sense of belonging.
So, the next time you get a chance to become a mentor or mentee, do not waste it.