The Peer Mentoring Programme on the Faculty of Philology and Translation is an essential part of the Mentoring Action Programme on the Bachelor’s Degree in Foreign Languages in the Faculty.

For many years, the teachers fulfilled the mentor role for the 1st year students. Since the year 2015/2016 students from the last years are the ones involved in the orientation process for students beginning in the University. Another important change is that the people participating in the programme are specifically selected and trained for mentoring. The new students, mentees, is mentored by other students, mentors, and as a logical consequence we think that they will improve in terms of communication and results. This is not only and idea or an assumption, but it has been corroborated with statistical data from the years in which this mentoring programme has been working in the School of Telecommunications Engineering.

The Peer Mentoring Programme on the Faculty of Philology and Translation is a triple chance:

  • For the mentors because in addition to the academic competences acquired as a student in the Faculty of Philology and Translation, you are going to need other skills in your working and personal life related with the self-knowledge and management. The Mentoring Programme from the Faculty can also provide an introduction to these aspects, and with a practical approach, give you the opportunity to life a first leadership experience, helping to the personal growth of the new students.
  • For the mentees, because you are going to count on the support of other student who, although having more experience, is very close to you, as he or she knows your problems and difficulties in entering to the university first hand, and who will be willing to orientate you so that you can overcome those first steps.
  • For the Faculty because, on one hand, the mentors will improve their competences, raising their employability; and on the other hand, the beneficial effects on the mentees will improve their integration, their motivation and their academic results. It is an opportunity, to sum up, to create an organization culture based in not only academic aspects.

 

Information for the future mentors

The Faculty of Philology and Translation, with the help of the University Vice-Chancellor for Academic Organisation and Teaching Staff, will provide a specific training for the volunteer students who have been selected to perform the mentor role. This training will be taught by the UVigo teaching staff specialised in the field of human resources.

From the perspective of the mentors, the process will take part in two stages:

  • Training stage: 6 days after the exams periods in May + 6 days at the beginning of September
  • Mentoring stage: through the academic year teaching period

The training received during the Mentoring Programme and the volunteering carried out will be duly accredited. In addition to that, the granting of the ECTS credits for the mentors will be requested to the university.

Training stage for the mentors: calendar
The first shift of training will last for 6 days and it will begin after the official period exams in May. It will consist on 4.5 hours morning sessions, with a total of 54 hours.

Through the academic year there will also be 3 workshops for monitoring and orientating the mentors, as well as 3 conferences with specialists in mentoring.

Mentoring stage: annual calendar
There will be 4 meetings each term for the mentors and mentees, at a compatible time. The exact date will depend on the official academic calendar and they will be communicated in advance.

The students who decide to perform the mentor role will undertake the following commitments:

  • To attend to the classes and training workshops (May/June and September)
  • To lead the meetings with their mentees and to cover the corresponding minutes
  • To attend and take part in the coordination meetings for the mentors (consisting on the mentors + the coordinators of the programme in the faculty) where they can ask their doubts, ask for help or to address any other related issue

In order to be a mentor there are certain requirements which must be fulfilled, as we are not able to offer this training opportunity to all the students in the Bachelor’s Degree in Foreign Languages. There will be a selection process among the students interested in take part in this programme.

The basic requirements are:

  • To be an student from the 1st, 2nd or 3rd year in the Bachelor’s Degree in Foreign Languages when requesting to participate in the programme
  • To be available for taking part during the mentoring stage (being incompatible, therefore, taking part in the Erasmus+, ISEP or Séneca mobility programmes)

 

Sign up!

In order to be a mentor students you must fill in a short form online during April, during the dates that will be given in advance.
The selection results will be communicated by email.

 

Coordination of the Peer Mentoring programme

Rosalía Rodríguez Vázquez
peermentoring.fft@uvigo.es