Student mentoring program.

Students supporting students.

Programme Coordinators: Noreen Peredo and Sinead Mannion

Why Mentoring is a Must for Moate CS

Goals & Objectives

1. One very important source of support for a student is their peers. Young people in distress often turn first to a peer for help and look to older students as role models.
2. Mentoring programmes build on this natural resource. Research suggests, that with the right type or training, facilitation and support, older students provide valuable peer support to younger students.
3. There are many advantages of mentoring systems to both the school in terms of promoting a positive ethos and to the individual participants.

Programme Goals

1. Promotes the idea of the school as being a supportive caring community
2. Increases students feelings of belonging and commitment to the school
3. Promotes the idea of students and staff working together.

Objectives for Mentors

1. An increase in self esteem
2. A sense of belonging to a team
3. A growing feeling of responsibility
4. A belief that they are contributing to the school community  

Objectives for 1 st Year Students

1. Improved attitudes of younger towards older students.
2. Improves school attendance
3. Students feel they have someone to talk to if they need help

First Year Hand Book

• Co-ordinate develop First Year Handbook which provides key information to incoming students prior to their first day at MCS.

First Day Programme

• Develop a programme of activities and a schedule of staff supervision for first day back to school. This programme is designed to enable students to get to know new classmates and to develop a degree of comfort in their new surroundings before formal classes begin.

Mentor/First Year Group Assignments

• Assign mentors to first year groups, to work with and support incoming students.

Day 1 Preparation/Activities

• Co-ordinate mentors preparations in August for First Day Programme.

• Direct and co-ordinate mentors as they conduct Day 1 activities.

Mentor Training Programme

• Organise and facilitate the Mentor Training Programme for new members.

Clubs

• Develop a schedule of weekly clubs, designed to facilitate social integration of all first students.

• Co-ordinate and supervise club activities.

Mentor Meetings

• Conduct regular mentor meetings to monitor and support mentors in their work with our new students.

• Conduct meetings to organise numerous events throughout the school year

Special Events

• Organise and co-ordinate many events throughout the school year, to promote fun and pride and a sense of belonging in all our new students. First year students are provided with an opportunity to participate in such events as:

  1. Halloween
  2. Christmas Party click here for to find out more
  3. Memorial tree planting click here to find out more
  4. Visits to local nursing home
  5. Easter Egg Hunt click here to find out more
  6. Time capsule click here to find out more

First Year Workshops

• Co-ordinate the participation of mentors in first year workshops such as Communication, Anti-bullying and Study Skills and Substance Abuse Awareness.

Programme Promotion

• Provide articles and photographs documenting all activities, for school and local publications.

• Design and develop promotional pamphlet, detailing all aspects of our programme for distribution to parents.

Evening Events

• Co-ordinate mentor attendance at all first year evening events such as; First Year Mass, First Year Information Night, and first year Parent/Teacher Conferences.