| Summary: | <p>This research project explores the development of a peer mentoring programme in my school during the academic year 2017-18. The main focus of the project is how the peer mentoring programme can be aligned to help fulfil my school’s pastoral care priorities. The importance of encouraging a whole-school approach to well-being is also considered. There is currently a growing awareness of pastoral issues such as mental health in schools, and the research regarding peer mentoring is developing concurrently. For instance, recent governmental guidelines (2017) encourage peer support as a proactive tool to tackle mental health issues, and studies demonstrate that peer mentoring can develop resilience in young people. However, the research regarding peer mentoring is limited.</p> <p>Action research was employed for this project in order to ensure a continued focus on the development of the peer mentoring programme and to ensure regular collaboration with both pupils and staff, allowing for both feedback on interventions and suggestions for the future. Three cycles were undertaken, with a key focus on pastoral priorities for each cycle. Mixed methods surveys were employed in order to allow for both quantitative and qualitative data. This provided a broad range of responses from the pupils and staff which the programme engages with.</p> <p>This project resulted in significant changes to the peer mentoring programme in my school setting. Working in collaboration with a range of pupils and staff has allowed me to re-structure the peer mentoring programme for the next academic year, focussing on the quality rather than quantity of peer mentoring available, and employing participatory action research has encouraged a more meaningful engagement with the development of the programme. A whole-school approach to well-being is, over time, being developed in my school setting, and the peer mentoring programme will play a proactive part in that. </p>
|
|---|