Abstract
Mentoring is often conceptualised as a one-to-one interaction between peers, or as an academic to student interaction, with the aim of developing self-esteem, connectedness, identity, and academic attitudes within one party. While various researchers have provided support for effectiveness of mentoring in fostering the aforementioned qualities, limited studies have looked at the impacts of outreach mentoring programs. This article examines the impact of the LEAP-Macquarie Mentoring (Refugee Mentoring) program on high school students from refugee backgrounds who are mentees on the program and on the university students who are mentors on the program. A qualitative study was completed involving five focus groups, individual and semi structured interviews with 54 mentees and diary analysis of 45 mentors. Transcripts of interview and focus groups were analysed using a grounded approach. Key findings highlighted that the LEAP-Macquarie Mentoring (Refugee Mentoring) program supported both mentors and mentees in making a smooth personal, social, and academic transition from high school to university, helped them develop leadership potential, and provided them with a connection to community.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 15-27 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | International studies in widening participation |
| Volume | 2 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 2015 |
Bibliographical note
Copyright 2015 The Author. Published by the English Language and Foundation Studies Centre and the Centre of Excellence for Equity in Higher Education. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.Keywords
- mentoring
- refugee backgrounds
- mentees
- mentors