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Peer mentor programme a space for student learning and development

20 March 2023 | Story Lunga Luthuli | Photo Lunga Luthuli

Peer mentor support programme — Pictured are students who recently attended the peer mentor training programme for the 2023 Peer Mentor cohort on the Qwaqwa Campus.

Helping first-year students with the transition to a university environment, the University of the Free State (UFS) has been running the Peer Mentor Programme. Over more than a decade, it has grown by leaps and bounds, providing a socio-emotional space conducive to student learning, development, and success.

Previously known as the P3 Mentor Programme, which was only available to students on the Bloemfontein Campus, it has grown into an institutional programme that provides support to first-year students on all three UFS campuses.

Dr WP Wahl, Director: Student Life: Division of Student Affairs, said: “The biggest need observed was that first-year students find it hard to adjust to the university environment, and since its inception, this programme has provided significant support.” The first-year student cohort for 2023 had their first interaction with their peer mentors on Friday 10 March 2023.

To become a peer mentor, senior undergraduate students go through a rigorous selection and training process before serving in a mentor role, and must have an average of 60% in their studies.

Recently, the UFS trained more than 500 student peer mentors on the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa campuses to act as trusted confidants to first-year students on all three campuses, connecting them to resources and opportunities and acting as healthy role models.

“Peer mentors are also trained to co-create solutions with first-year students in response to their specific developmental needs. First-year students who join a peer mentor group also become part of a friendship circle,” added Dr Wahl.

Part of the Division of Student Affairs that students can look out for is Kovsie Support Services, where they can sign up for the Future Lead Challenge offered by the Student Leadership Development Office.

For student support, the Career Services Division also has a Career Development Programme, which helps students to think about and plan for their future careers.

News Archive

Interpreting implemented at UFS residences

2007-10-12

The University of the Free State (UFS) has begun to implement interpreting services at student residence meetings on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein, as part of the management of diversity and the racial integration of its residences.

As a pilot project, the interpreting services are being offered since the third term at Emily Hobhouse and Roosmaryn ladies residences, where a significant racial diversity already is present. From next year this service will be extended to all the student residences on the Main Campus.

The interpreting project is being managed by the Department of Afro-asiatic Studies, Sign Language and Language Practice at the UFS.

“Students in training at the Department of Afro-asiatic Studies, Sign Language and Language Practice and senior interpreters from the UFS are currently interpreting during residence meetings,” said Prof. Jackie Naudé, Departmental Chairperson of the UFS’s Department of Afro-asiatic Studies, Sign Language and Language Practice.

“Students in these residences are given the opportunity to be trained to interpret during their residence meetings. Four students from each hostel are being trained as interpreters,” said Prof. Naudé.

According to Prof. Naudé both residences have meetings that take place on a Monday evening at 22:00. Interpreting is also provided at the first-year students’ meetings at Emily Hobhouse on Tuesday evenings.

The interpreters experience the interpreting at the residences as positively and they experience that students often do utilise this service. At Roosmaryn 16-18 students are utilising the interpreting service, while at Emily Hobhouse approximately 18 students are utilising the service.

“The interpreting service definitely contributes to the enhancement of communication during residence meetings. Students can exactly follow what is happening during the meetings. In the past a residences like Emily Hobhouse tried to repeat everything in English, which extended the meetings,” Prof. Naudé said.

With the envisaged extension of interpreting services in hostel meetings to all the hostels on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein, there is a need for interpreters as these meetings will take place simultaneously. Through this initiative, exiting new opportunities are created for aspiring interpreters. The training takes place under leadership of Prof. Annelie Lotriet who holds the ATKV Chair in Interpreting in the department.

Aspiring candidates can contact Mr Cobus Snyman, Manager of the UFS’s interpreting projects at 051 401 9005 in connection with the selection criteria for interpreters.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
14 October 2007

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