Peer mentoring
In some schools across the country we have peer mentoring schemes where school pupils give help and advise to each other when they need it.
The scheme was started at Greensward Academy in Essex. The scheme helps to train mentors in who then speak to younger students about any problems they might be facing. The scheme is run by Lead Mentors, a group of students who manage and organise the scheme.
In Essex, Victim Support holds yearly training sessions for the sixth form students, who are selected for training by the lead mentors.
The newly trained group hold drop in sessions during lunchtimes when any student can come in and chat about an issue they might be having. Students can also email the peer mentors directly or can be referred to them by teachers.
The lead mentors are experienced mentors that have undergone an extensive interview process by the previous lead mentors and a member of victim Support, as well as senior members of staff from the school.
The success of mentoring within Greensward has led to its expansion over a group of academy schools within the Academies Enterprise Trust in Essex.
You can get involved in peer mentoring in Essex by contacting Lynda at
lynda.ketteridge@victimsupport.org.uk or elsewhere in the country by contacting our
Webmaster.