Higher Education Mentoring Scheme

Peterborough HE Project Company

Based at Loughborough University at Peterborough, the Peterborough HE Project Company is an associated educational charity of the University. Established in 1996 it aims to promote the development of higher education programmes in the Peterborough area. The work of the Project Company is supported by Loughborough University, Peterborough City Council and the Greater Peterborough Chamber as well as the school/ FE sector and leading local companies.

DfEE Innovations Fund

Last year a successful bid was made to the DfEE Innovations fund to secure initial funding for a 2 year project to establish an Integrated Student and Parent Mentoring Scheme, targeted on ethnic minority and lower socio-economic groups. From over 900 bids nationally the project was one of only 50 project bids that were successful.

Recent research has shown that lower socio-economic and some ethnic minority groups do not have a family tradition of higher education and are under-represented at University.

This bid was centred on an innovative approach to increasing access, progression and completion by under-represented groups in higher education.

The Higher Education Mentoring Scheme

As a result of the successful bid, Loughborough University at Peterborough has recruited a team of 4 professional mentors, supported by a small group of volunteer mentors, to provide a range of advice and support to targeted groups of mentees in the local schools and colleges.

The unique scheme provides an integrated mentoring service to offer support to both students and their parents and will provide consistent support from the 6^th Form into local higher education.

The aim is to target students who may feel that higher education is not available to them. For example, the scheme recognises the concerns among lower income groups over the perceived costs of higher education and the importance of the family in ethnic communities when making life choices.

The scheme has identified 10 partner schools/colleges who have signed up and are currently participating in the mentoring scheme.

The HE mentoring team works closely with local partner schools and colleges to identify potential mentees within agreed criteria relating to social background and the potential to benefit from higher education, resulting in the recruitment of nearly 60 mentees currently being mentored.

Each student has a personal mentor who will meet him/her on a regular basis at an agreed time within the school/college.

The mentoring team is currently working with students from 6^th forms in schools in Peterborough and the Fenlands, and from advanced level courses at Peterborough Regional College, Stamford College and the Isle College in Wisbech.

The HE Mentoring Team

The key elements of the mentor role are to provide advice and support appropriate to the mentees' needs in order to help them achieve agreed objectives. This might include providing information on HE courses and finances, developing study and organisation skills, help with any concerns and providing encouragement to the students.

The mentor will also have links with each student's family to provide guidance and support appropriate to their needs.

The Mentoring Team are:

Paul Jennens, Mentor Co-ordinator, with a background in FE and adult guidance;

Gail Hartporter, Senior Mentor, with a background in multicultural education in schools;

Jan French, with a background in secondary school teaching and pastoral guidance;

Yasmeen Maqbool, with a background in community mentoring for local ethnic minority groups.

All the mentors have undergone police checks and have experience of working with young people in education and the local community.

Loughborough University at Peterborough is a member of the Cambridgeshire Social Mentoring Consortium and has developed links with the National Mentoring Network.

The team works to the national occupational standards in mentoring currently being developed and the scheme is run under the strategic guidance of a Steering Group comprising representatives from the school/FE sector, community groups and local organisations.

For further information contact:

Paul Jennens

Mentor Co-ordinator

Loughborough University at Peterborough

62 Park Road

Peterborough

PE1 2YA

Direct line: 01733 424721

Email: p.jennens@lboro.ac.uk

Web site: www.lboro.ac.uk/pboro

July 2001