Peer Support | What is Peer Support? | Getting involved | Getting involved as a first year

Peer Support / What is Peer Support? / Getting involved / Getting involved as a first year

Peer Support is available to every first-year undergraduate at The University of Manchester.

To help make the transition to university easier, every new undergraduate student is automatically allocated to a Peer Support scheme.

Your course will either offer PASS (Peer-Assisted Study Sessions) or a Peer Mentoring scheme to support and guide you through your first year. These groups are run by higher-year student volunteers from the same course of study, who are available to provide advice, share their experiences, and direct you to the many helpful services offered by The University of Manchester.

Peer Support schemes are a great way to meet people on your course and attend social activities organised by your scheme.

The Peer Support Team have worked with your academic schools to decide on the best support for you and tailor our service to your degree programme’s needs. We work with the students who volunteer to plan Welcome, Induction and Transition activities, and ongoing events throughout the year.

Find out whether your course offers PASS or Peer Mentoring here.

How do I get involved as a first year?

Every first-year undergraduate student at the University of Manchester is assigned to a Peer Support scheme, which could be either Peer Mentoring or PASS. In some subjects, such as Music, students may even participate in both.

You will automatically be placed in a group by your scheme's Student Coordinators and contacted by your PASS Leaders or Peer Mentors—students from the years above you, studying the same course. All you need to do is pay attention to the details they provide about the time and location of your meetings, and ensure you attend all sessions!

Why should I get involved as a first year?

Attending and engaging with Peer Support, whether that is going to PASS sessions or talking to your Peer Mentors, has numerous benefits:

Being able to ask students questions who have been there before, providing a valuable student perspective and offering their tips and tricks to thriving at university.
Being a safe space to bring your ideas, issues and questions, it can sometimes be easier asking students than putting your hand up in a lecture!
A great opportunity for you to meet other people on your course and to build those relationships that will help you throughout your time here at Manchester.

How can I get involved next year?

If you want to become a PASS Leader or Peer Mentor in your second year, that's brilliant! Keep an ear out for news about recruitment, which usually starts in January of the preceding academic year. Your PASS Leaders / Peer Mentors will be sending out recruitment forms around this time; if you want to become involved but haven't heard anything, take a look at the Peer Support Linktree for the most up-to-date links to recruitment forms, or email us at peersupport@manchester.ac.uk.