Mentoring

As you're no doubt aware, coming to uni can be at times a bit of daunting experience. There's a big new campus to get used to, new people, new experiences – and that's not even counting the workload and study challenges with which you have to grapple. UC provides assistance on a number of levels, but one of its most effective services is one that employs the services of some of its best resources: its current students.

The mentoring programme helps new students get a better foothold at university by matching them up with a student in their second year or above. It provides a more personal face to the university, and a good port of call when things are stressful or confusing.

Louisa, a current mentor studying history, English, and classics, became a mentor after having herself been mentored in her first year. "I had a really good mentor, and so decided I wanted to be on the other side of it."

Having been one of only three students from her high school who came to Canterbury, having someone to touch base with on campus was great for Louisa. "I didn't really know anybody. It was cool having somebody there for me, rather than just random strangers."

The help Louisa was given, and now in turn gives, was of a varied nature, but included wasn't so much of an academic nature. "You'd walk into the library and see her, and say hello. We'd have coffee occasionally. It was more of a social thing than anything."

Working as a mentor has been a rewarding experience in a number of ways, not least of all seeing first year students finding their way. "It's really good, seeing a lost little first year you're able to help feel more comfortable at Canterbury. They don't tend to need you that much, but just being there so that they know someone is there is quite rewarding."

Mentoring is always a great way to build up a mentor's skills. "I've had a whole bunch of social skills built up, and confidence at meeting complete strangers and being able to talk with them. In a way it gives you an 'in' to public speaking."

It's also given Louisa the opportunity to get involved on campus in other ways, including organising events for Winterlude, helping out at Orientation, and conducting tours of campus for new students. "Getting to know all the other people that I've met through mentoring, and just having a bigger group of people you know around campus is really good.

Becoming a mentor is an easy process, and is open to just about anyone.

"We're looking for anyone who wants to do it," says Jane Hall, UC Mentoring Coordinator. "Usually people who have enjoyed their first year, and achieve quite well the first year, but absolutely anyone who has an interest in mentoring is welcome to contact me."

You needn't have any concerns about it cutting into your study or social life, either. "Mentors can have as few or as many mentees as they like," says Hall. "It's always to complement your studies, not compromise them in any way. How much time you need to offer is as much time as you have to give."

And for a little time given, you get a lot in return. Not only is the work much appreciated by those being mentored, mentoring can provide some real immediate benefits for one's career. "We give people a summary of service at the end of the year, and I write references for CVs, so they have quite a lot they can offer employers at the end of it. So it's beneficial that way for when they leave uni as well; it's quite transferable what they can take with them."

Mentoring prospects for 2012 are already looking good, with prospective students already contacting Hall wanting to touch base with a mentor, "just so they can find out what's happening at UC, what's happening on campus regarding social events, and how things are in Christchurch at the moment."

There'll also be the continuation of a new focus from this year: mixing a lot more domestic students with international students. "It's a great opportunity for our mentors to find out about different cultures, make connections all over the world, and really get in touch with people that they would never get to meet otherwise."

If you're interested in becoming a mentor yourself, make sure you get in touch with Hall – Louisa highly recommends it. "It's such a great experience!"

If you're interested in becoming a mentor, check out http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/support/mentoring/ or email jane.hall@canterbury.ac.nz