Staff and Students

SCMH Student Mentor (Buddy) System

All 1st years will be assigned a student mentor that is within their research hub, but out-with their lab.

If for any reason you would prefer to opt out of this scheme, please contact either of the PG Convenors (Delyth.Graham@glasgow.ac.uk and Paul.Welsh@glasgow.ac.uk).

As you may be aware, starting a postgraduate degree at a new place can be a daunting experience. Consequently, the Student Mentor (Buddy) Scheme has been implemented within the School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health to provide new 1st year PGR students with additional support through a 2nd/3rd year PGR Mentor.

 In summary:

• 1st year students will be assigned a 2nd/3rd year PGR student mentor
• Mentor : Mentee pairing will aim to be carried out on a 1:1 ratio.
• Each 1st year Mentee will be paired up with a Mentor in the same building/research hub as them, but from a different lab.
• When a mentor is assigned a new student, it is their responsibility to contact and organise the initial meeting. After which, it is down to the new student to contact the mentor when needed.
• Benefits to new students: this opportunity provides an informal point of contact where general advice and support can be given when finding your feet and settling into your first year in your PGR degree at the University of Glasgow.
• Benefits to mentors: this opportunity allows the mentor to gain/improve upon many employable skills including: supervisory skills, communication skills, etc.

All 2nd and 3rd year PGR students within SCMH will be automatically enrolled within this scheme and may be assigned at least one new 1st year student.

what is expected from a student mentor and what is provided for the 1st year mentee

Buddying introduction  

• Aims: orientation, community, direct experience
• Mentors: volunteer 2nd and 3rd year PGRs
• Mentees: 1st year PGRs
• Admin: PGR convenors (Del Graham and Paul Welsh)
• Pairing: Outside research cluster but within your building, aim to be 1:1
• Timeline: 6 months (meeting every 3-4 weeks)
• Evaluation: Meeting at the end to evaluate pilot scheme and report to higher degrees committee

Benefits of being a buddy

• Support new people
• Employability skill in itself
• Teaching experience
• Supervisory skills
• Communication skills
• Increased reflection and self-understanding

Foundations of mentoring

• Confidential conversations, trust is important
• Development, not evaluation
• Quality of conversation not a superficial ‘advice’ process
• Voluntary mentor/mentee driven programme:

–Personalised

–Ownership

• Other attributes:

–Partnerships

–Reciprocity

–Collegiality

–Networks

What does a buddy do?

Mentoring generally involves a discussion and is a chance for mentees to review their situation, goals, PhD progress and future career

75% LISTENING - 25% TALKING

1:1 CONVERSATION

Advice, sharing stories and  experience, insider knowledge and tips

Coaching, techniques and skills – help the mentee find their own solution through questioning

A mentoring conversation

Mentee:

talks about a problem or situation that they have not yet resolved/got an answer for…

Mentor:

may ask questions, listen and help mentee explore options… BUT cannot offer advice, tell them what to do or give solutions

“I’m fine” - It’s important  to maintain momentum  and keep conversations going

http://researcherdevelopment.academicblogs.co.uk/peer-mentoring-getting-past-everythings-fine

Get feedback from your mentee

• How useful was the session for you and why? 
• What would you like me to do more of in the next session? What would you like me to do less of?
• Did you notice your thoughts changing positively/negatively during the session. What caused this? 
• Are you doing/do you plan to do anything differently going forward?

Previous mentee experiences

“What was never clear before I started was how different PhD would be compared to MA. To be suddenly totally responsible for my own time, choosing my own milestones, training… without my mentor to help me make sense of all this, I’d have been floundering until into my 3rd year!”

"He was able to say to me, ‘what’s upcoming for you?’ and it’d set me off to go and find out. The most important thing was that he knew what was coming and what to do about it, what the review process is and what I need to do to get through it. Supervisors forget that they need to translate stuff they’re familiar with for newbies”