In this blog post we cover what you can expect and what happens during specialist mentoring sessions. We would like to give a special thank you to Diversity And Ability (D&A), who helped facilitate this content.

What Is Specialist Mentoring?

Mentoring, in a nutshell, offers confidential one-to-one support to help you feel happier and more confident while you study. University life can bring with it a unique set of stressors and challenges. Mentoring will allow you to manage these, enabling you to become more independent, feel more confident with your work and have a better university experience.

“Prior to starting the sessions, I had no idea what to expect and have since been surprised just how truly helpful they are. The flexibility that fed into every part of the sessions really allowed me to build my confidence in considering and prioritising my wellbeing and voice. My mentor was really great at holding the space for me and I always felt safe, heard and valued. Having the time and space to talk through and reflect on things in a way I wouldn’t have been able to otherwise has been invaluable. I’m really grateful for all that I’ve learnt. “

Sophie, Second Year, Goldsmith, University of London

The Logistics Of Specialist Mentoring

Mentoring sessions typically last an hour and take place regularly throughout the academic year in a private, comfortable, and safe space.  All mentors are experienced practitioners, holding relevant qualifications in the field of mental health and membership of an appropriate professional body.

“My mentor was amazing! Very understanding, very helpful, he gave emotional support and was also very effective with planning and organising tasks, goal setting. It made everything easier and he was such a big help.”

 Sam, First Year, London South Bank University

How COVID-19 Has Affected Specialist Mentoring

Although face-to-face mentoring support has been put on hold for the time being, mentors are now fully equipped to provide sessions remotely through a variety of online platforms. As with face-to-face, online sessions will continue to support students in the following areas:

• Assistance with any pastoral matters which are causing anxiety or stress
• Support with motivation and morale
• Building confidence and self-esteem
• Emotional support with a focus on enabling the development of emotional awareness and wellbeing strategies

Furthermore, many practitioners are using inbuilt accessibility features, such as live captioning, to make online mentoring as inclusive and as effective as it’s ever been.

‘It was getting really tough to manage everything at once and having this support has helped in a lot of ways. I really like how the support is still made accessible online, and it doesn’t feel less beneficial than a face-to-face session. In the current situation, I’ve needed my sessions more than ever’

Shivani, First Year, King’s College London

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