Building Bridges: A Practical Guide to Developing and Implementing a Subject-specific Peer-to-peer Academic Mentoring Program for First-year Higher Education Students

Abstract

The Telemachus Ancient History Mentor Program (informally known as Tele’s Angels) has been offering peer-led transition services to first-year students at Macquarie University since 2002. Tele’s Angels volunteer Mentors create a ‘learning community’ by providing their first-year colleagues with transition assistance, academic support and resources, and networking for and amongst students and staff. Individual mentoring is offered, as well as free peer-support services which focus on developing academic skills and building social networks. The program also focuses on student leadership – a key objective is that Mentors themselves are beneficiaries of all activities, embodying the program motto: “to give is to receive”. It is timely to report Tele’s Angels’ experiences to a wider audience and offer practical guidelines to those wishing to develop and implement subject-specific academic mentoring programs for first-year students in their own institutions.