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.

As a first year, you will either be assigned to a PASS or Peer Mentoring group. If you are at the start of your first year, your PASS Leader or Peer Mentor will support you with any problems that you may have or will signpost you to the correct service within The University.

In your Peer Mentoring or PASS groups you will meet other first-years in the same boat as you, and higher-year students from the same course as you through social events that older students organise. You may still be in contact with some of the connections you make here even after your first year.

The Peer Support Team have worked with your 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. To get involved with these activities, find out whether we provide support through Peer Mentors or PASS Leaders for you 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, whether this is Peer Mentoring or PASS; some subjects such as Music even do both!

You will be automatically assigned to a group by your scheme's Student Coordinators, and contacted by your PASS Leaders/ Peer Mentors, who will be students from your course in the years above you. All you need to do is listen to what they tell you about when and where your meetings are, and make sure you attend all the sessions!

Why should I get involved as a first year?

Both PASS and Peer Mentoring have proven to be valuable support for first year students, offering essential academic and pastoral support. Numerous studies conducted across various universities have consistently shown that attending PASS and Peer Mentoring sessions leads to improvements in both academic grades and social wellbeing. Your PASS Leaders and Peer Mentors come from the same academic discipline as you, ensuring that they have a deep understanding of what you're going through at different points in the year. They are well-equipped to assist you with various challenges, including essay writing, house hunting, guiding you to academic or personal support services, or even providing recommendations on the best pubs in 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.