Class of 2020 Peer Mentors
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Following OPPA’s successful launch of the University’s first major fundraising campaign York Unlimited and the pressures placed on graduates from the Class of 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, we are now seeking to recruit a group of mentors from the Class of 2020. These mentors will provide peer support to fellow 2020 graduates, easing the transition into work or further study.
This volunteering opportunity will come with a package of support and training from the University, as well as access to exclusive events and professional networking opportunities designed to broaden your network whilst developing your coaching, leadership, influencing and facilitation skills. It will enable you to play an integral role in your global alumni community.
Purpose of the role
We expect that our Class of 2020 Peer Mentors will play a crucial role in supporting graduates as they take their next steps beyond York. The heightened challenges that graduates from this Class will face require an increased level of support, and our Class of 2020 Peer Mentors will be a key facet of this support.
Peer Mentors will be trained to become leaders and sources of support and encouragement for the 2020 cohort and work with the team at OPPA to access the York Profiles and Mentors platform to create connections.
While not having all of the answers, our Class of 2020 Peer Mentors will help their Mentees to discover the right answer for themselves and act as a bridge into the wider alumni community.
Key responsibilities
With OPPA’s support, you will undertake some or all of the duties below:
Using social media and referrals from members of the OPPA team, as a Peer Mentor you will build a community of Mentees that are able to lean on each other over the first year after Graduation.
You will help to provide regular opportunities for your Mentees to engage with you and with each other. You will use your training to support your Mentees in finding their feet after Graduation.
This may include providing Careers advice, providing a listening ear to frustrations that your Mentees are experiencing, helping your Mentees to strategise their next steps and/or signposting to services that might provide Mentees with more in-depth support.
You may provide this support in a 1-2-1 or group setting, balancing the needs of your Mentees with your commitments.
You will source and share relevant opportunities for your Mentees, both within and outside the University community, in order to provide a high level of support which helps your Mentees to fulfil their potential.
As a Peer Mentor, you will provide feedback to develop the running of the programme and will, in turn, gather feedback in order to develop the offer that we can provide to recent graduates of York.
As a Peer Mentor, you will be expected to take part in and successfully complete any training which the University provides to you in connection with this voluntary role and to stay up to date with developments on the programme and at the University.
Benefits
We recognise the crucial role Volunteers play, and in return, we offer support and resources, as well as opportunities to engage with members across our alumni community.
Peer Mentors may benefit from many opportunities, such as:
- Personal and professional skills training at the beginning of the tenure which will provide you with a skillset in coaching, facilitation and leadership
- Opportunities to develop and demonstrate your skills as an influencer and leader
- Professional networking and social activities with other University of York alumni
OPPA will provide training materials and appropriate literature to support you, as well as ongoing support throughout.
Expectations
This voluntary role gives you access to fantastic opportunities within York’s alumni network and will allow you to continue building a strong professional network throughout the Class of 2020, but it is also a responsibility that requires commitment, careful planning and thought.
All volunteers will be expected to abide by the University of York’s Volunteer Charter and Privacy Policy, as well as all relevant legal requirements within their region and the UK.
For further information or to discuss this voluntary role, please contact Kyla Holt (kyla.holt@york.ac.uk), Head of Volunteering and Alumni Programmes, Office of Philanthropic Partnerships and Alumni (OPPA), University of York.