Dunoon Grammar School
Peer Mentoring Policy
Objectives
The Scheme aims to provide support for young people. This may be to help them to settle
in, make progress and to achieve their potential within Dunoon Grammar School.
Mentors will provide individual support throughout the school year. They will be selected
and trained to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge necessary to support young
people who might be daunted by some of the obstacles they face during their time at
Dunoon Grammar School. The Mentors’ role will complement other school wide support
structures and the role of peer mentors will provide a link to Heads of House as required.
Each Mentor will work in partnership with the programme co-ordinator.
The Role of the Mentor
The Mentors’ role is to act on behalf of Dunoon Grammar School to support a younger pupil
at the school. Mentors will be S5 or S6 pupils. The Mentor may have experience of the same
subject. This will ensure that the Mentor can offer support and encouragement with course
work and issues such as exams, assignments, homework etc. The Mentor will act within an
agreed range of confidentiality and will ensure they have the best interests of the younger
pupil in mind at all times.
The mentor is not:
• A teacher
• A counsellor
• A social worker
And the mentor will not:
• Do the young learners work for them
• Give advice based on personal opinions
• Report to the tutor on everything discussed
• Take advantage of the young person in any way
The Mentor might:
• Help younger pupils to settle in to Dunoon Grammar School
• Help to establish good communication between younger pupils and Dunoon Grammar
School staff and other learners
• Provide support for individuals who might be isolated or lack self-esteem and selfconfidence
• Provide support in getting to know rapidly changing environments and the use of new
technologies
• Offer appropriate advice and guidance
• Give and receive constructive feedback
• Help younger pupils to manage time, plan and prioritise work, set goals, and gain a better
understanding of their work
Role of the Programme Co-ordinator
Within the Dunoon Grammar School Peer Mentoring Programme, each Mentor will work in
partnership with the programme co-ordinator. The programme co-ordinator will be a
member of the Head of House team who understands the Peer Mentoring Programme.
The co-ordinator is responsible for providing training, advice and on-going guidance to the
Mentors.
The co-ordinator and their Mentors will meet as a group once every month to discuss
development ideas and to look at up-coming events and possible pressure points which the
younger pupils might be facing. This is likely to include any external exams, assessment
submission dates, work experience placements, job applications, etc. These meetings are for
sharing experiences.
Regular Meetings
• The co-ordinator and the Mentors might discuss any issues that they have dealt with – but
they will not disclose any confidential information about the young people.
• They might ask for advice on networking and share any useful contacts they have made.
• Mentors might identify specific areas where they would like more training.
Additional meetings
The co-ordinator should be available to respond to requests for additional meetings at
reasonable notice. Where a Mentor has a cause for concern which will not wait for the next
meeting, they will contact the co-ordinator.
The co-ordinator will ensure that each Mentor knows who to talk to about any issues.
The co-ordinator will support the Mentors personal development.
Confidentiality
The partnership between the Mentor and the young person is based on confidentiality. This
means that anything discussed between them when they are in the Mentoring relationship
is private and that the Mentor will not repeat any conversations to other people.
There are certain exceptions to this, and it is important that these are recognised and
agreed at the start of the partnership.
• If both partners agree that the Mentor can speak to someone else about an issue or
problem. They will agree who the Mentor will speak to. This might be their Head of House, a
teacher, or other people within the School or outside.
• If the Mentor believes that there is a risk of harm to the young person or any other
person, based on something that the young person has said, or that a crime has been or is
going to be committed. In any of these cases the Mentor must report the issue to the
programme co-ordinator or their Head of House immediately or to another member of staff
if the programme co-ordinator or their Head of House is absent.
Procedures for Referring a Pupil to be mentored
Pupils can be referred to the mentoring scheme by any member of staff. If a staff member
believes that mentoring would benefit a pupil this should be discussed with the young
persons’ Head of House. A young person can also self-refer and would see their Head of
House to organise this.
The Head of House should then complete the following:
 An information booklet should be given to the young person.
 A letter of consent and information booklet should be sent home to the parent or
carer.
 Once parental consent has been received a referral form should be completed and
passed to the programme co-ordinator.
 The Head of House should complete an information sheet with the young person
and pass to the programme co-ordinator.
The programme co-ordinator will then:
 Match the young person with a mentor and arrange the first meeting
 Help the mentor and the young person to sign the peer mentor agreement and the
confidentiality statement.
 Liaise with the mentor to ensure appropriate support is given to the young person.
 The young person will complete an evaluation of the programme at the end of the
session or when they leave the programme.
Procedures for applying to be a Peer Mentor
 Senior pupils in S5 or S6 will complete an application form to become a peer mentor.
 If successful they will undertake mentor training with the programme co-ordinator
 The mentor will complete and sign a peer mentor agreement with the programme
co-ordinator.
 The mentor will be matched with a young person.
 The programme co-ordinator will arrange for the mentor to meet the young person
for the first time and help them to sign the mentor agreement and the
confidentiality statement. These documents will be stored in a folder in the
Guidance base.
 The mentor will record a minute of discussions with the young person and pass this
to the programme co-ordinator. These will be stored in a folder in the Guidance
base.
 The mentor will attend monthly meetings with the programme co-ordinator to
discuss any issues and further training requirements.
 The mentor will complete an evaluation of the mentor programme at the end of the
session.