The University of the Free State’s (UFS) Peer Mentor Programme, a vital extension of the Division of Student Affairs (DSA), plays a key role in ensuring the smooth transition of first-time entering students (FTENs) into the university environment. Every year, the DSA’s Student Life Office recruits and trains senior undergraduate students to mentor FTENs and help them navigate the challenges of their first year at university.

Peer Mentor Programme training takes place annually from the start of the academic year. The first training session for 2025 was held at the EBW Auditorium on the Bloemfontein Campus on Thursday 30 January 2025. This will be followed by 10 themed training sessions, scheduled monthly throughout the year, allowing peer mentors to engage with their mentees.

The first session covered a range of topics, including a welcoming and introduction to the programme’s background by Dr WP Wahl; a presentation by a clinical psychologist from the UFS office of Student Counselling and Development (SCD) on how peer mentors should care for their mental well-being throughout the year; discussions on the roles peer mentors will play and what to expect; and a presentation by UFS Library Information Services. 

Origins and growth of the Peer Mentor Programme

Launched in 2012 by Dr WP Wahl, Director of Student Life at DSA, the Peer Mentor Programme was created as a way of supporting FTENs who face unique challenges in transitioning into higher education. “FTENs are considered a vulnerable group who require assistance in adjusting to the higher education environment,” Dr Wahl explained.

Initially designed as a residence-based programme, the Peer Mentor Programme has since evolved into an institution-wide initiative, benefiting both commuter and residence students across the Bloemfontein, Bloemfontein South, and Qwaqwa campuses.

How the programme works

The Peer Mentor Programme is voluntary for senior undergraduate students. Applications open towards the end of the year and can be submitted via email to PeerMentor@ufs.ac.za or through the official UFS website.

Trained peer mentors facilitate themed discussions throughout the year, using Feuerstein’s Mediated Learning Experience methodology. This approach provides students from marginalised backgrounds with the tools and resources to succeed in higher education. According to Evaline van Wyk, Peer Mentor Coordinator at the UFS’s Bloemfontein Campus, the training equips mentors with skills in academic advising and provides other resources to assist their mentees.

“As a mentor, I know the resources my mentees can use, for example the Write Site and academic counselling, to adjust effectively to this new daunting environment called University,” said Michelle du Rand, a second-year Occupational Health student and Peer Mentor.

FTENs are paired with trained peer mentors through their student communities, including residences and the Student Affairs office. Commuter students also have access to trained mentors. 

FTENs interested in the programme can reach out to their student community leaders or contact DSA for more details.

Mentors who take part in the programme generally find they have enhanced all their UFS graduate attributes, added Makhosazana Mazibuko, Head of Peer Mentors at DSA. “They gain experience of working with different people, learn more about emotional intelligence, and learn new things about themselves. They gain work and volunteer experience and can use their mentorship experience and certificate to enhance their CV.” 

For more about the Peer Mentor Programme, visit the DSA website on co-curricular programmes.