Høgskolen i Oslo Peer Mentoring at Oslo University College, Norway Magritt Lundestad, lecturer, Faculty of Education and International Studies, Early Childhood Education

Høgskolen i Oslo

Peer Mentoring at Oslo University College l 12,000 students/1100 employees, 7 faculties. l Peer Mentoring: the last 10 years, at some faculties l Faculty of Edcuation and International Studies, Early Childhood Education: peer mentoring program autumn 2009 l Initiated by Head of Studies, applied for funding l Funded by ” Intercult”, a ongoing program at OUC aiming at developing and strengthening the multicultural student environment l Mentees:1 st year students, mentors: 2 st year students l Small scale program: 10 mentors, 14 mentees

Høgskolen i Oslo The Norwegian Context l 2009 : age 19 – 24, 34% in Higher Education l Higher Education: available for all through reasonable student loans l Immigration in Norway: mainly from 1970 l Students with ethnic minority background: approximately 18% at OUC (1923 students out of ), Faculty of Education and International Studies 13% ( 272 students) l Oslo, an expensive city: most students work in addition to student loan from the government l Students: busy, not very active participants in student life at campus l Experience from other faculties at OUC: hard to recruit mentors

Høgskolen i Oslo Aims of the Peer Mentoring Programme at Early Childhood Education l To promote retention among students with ethnic minority background l To develop students` intercultural competence l To enhance students` professional development by increasing awareness of cultural diversity and by promoting competence in mentorship

Høgskolen i Oslo 1 - Questions in the Starting Phase l Only for 1 st academic year students with ethnic minority background? Defined as a group with “special needs”? How would this be regarded by the students? l How to recruit mentors ? Payment? Development of professional competence and employability? Involvement in a new project ? To be a resource? A certificate to show to employers? Free lunches? l How to choose mentors? Interviews? What qualifications? How to create a mentor group with a variation of students? l What should the role of a mentor be? A person to introduce new students to life on campus? To show new students around? To share experiences regarding the studies? To provide academic support? l What should the focus of the training program for the mentors be? Mentorship? Intercultural competence? Communication? Ethics?

Høgskolen i Oslo 2 - Questions in the Starting Phase l How to recruit mentees? Through /learning platform/ through direct meetings? What should be emphasized? Academic support? Transition into student life? A guide to student support at campus ? l How many meetings/activities between mentors and mentees in a year ? When to meet? How to document the meetings? l How to match mentor and mentees? Same ethnic background or not? Age etc.? l How to involve the teaching staff/the study administration in the project? Active participants in recruitment of mentees/mentors? Members of project group? l How to develop a “culture for mentorship” in the organisation? Seen as for example “ not my task as a lecturer” or “ not necessary, students at university level should be able to manage on their own”

Høgskolen i Oslo 1 - Choices made l For all 1 st year students l Recruitment of mentors: through personal , through learning platform, information in the classroom, through lecturers that recommended students as mentors l Mentors: application form, individual interviews, why they applied/ how they believed they could be a resource l Emphasized that we wanted a varied mentor group in the recruitment phase, age, gender, experience etc. l Reward: employability, to develop professional competence, a training program, a certificate, free lunches l The mentor role shaped by the students in collaboration with the mentee l Few meetings between mentor and mentee obligatory, 2 each semester. The mentor/mentee are free to do what they want to

Høgskolen i Oslo 2 - Choices made l Documented by a log each semester by the mentor: what we have done, what I have learned, my challenges further on etc. l Training program: 2 half day meetings each semester, both for mentees and mentors. Free lunch, share experiences, lectures on mentorship, intercultural competence, to relate and communicate l Recruitment of mentees: through , through learning platform, information in the classroom, through lecturers - used in many higher educations institutions, someone to shares experiences with, to have someone “ by your side” the first year, what to do chosen by the mentor/mentee l Matching of mentor and mentees: various solutions, age important l Both lecturers and administrative staff members of project group l Information about the project and the experiences at staff meetings. New Intercult project: ” A Culture for Peer Mentoring at OUC”