Many of our URSTRONG Schools have successfully launched a peer mentorship model, where older students support the younger students in their friendships at recess time. In fact, the term Friend-o-Leader was created by Marryatville Primary School in Adelaide, Australia who have been running this mentorship model for 3+ years now.
Research shows that peer mentoring has positive outcomes for everyone involved. The Building Effective Peer Mentoring Programs in Schools, published by The Mentoring Resource Center & U.S. Department of Education, identifies positive impacts for mentees including:
- Connectedness to school and peers
- Feelings of competency and self-efficacy
- Grades and academic achievement
- Prosocial behavior and attitudes
For mentors, there have been reported improvements in:
- Connectedness to school
- Empathy and moral reasoning
- Intrapersonal communication and conflict resolution skills
- Relationships with parents
Our URSTRONG Schools who’ve already launched mentorship models consistently report that children feel more comfortable talking to another student, rather than a teacher, about their friendship issues.
URSTRONG Schools can access our Friend-o-Leader Training video, instructions, and nomination form here: FRIEND-O-LEADER TRAINING.
“Frambassadors” at Dunsborough Primary School in WA, Australia