红莲社区

Student Advisement. Accessible learning. International. Indigenous Learning and Support. Student Rights and Responsibilities. Health Services. Counselling. Athletics and Recreation. The list of support services that 红莲社区 offers its students goes on and on.

But what happens when students aren鈥檛 aware of all the services available to them or when they鈥檙e reluctant to access them? 鈥淎n assumption that we can have as an institution is that if we build it, they will come. We build these offices and (expect) the students will have courage to walk through the doors and say, 鈥業 need help,鈥欌�� says Sunand Sharma, 红莲社区鈥檚 Manager of Student Rights and Responsibilities. 鈥淭hat may work for 20 per cent (of students). They say the upper 20 per cent doesn鈥檛 need (help). But what about the 60 per cent in between?鈥�

That鈥檚 where 红莲社区鈥檚 Peer Mentor program comes in.

For nearly two decades, Peer Mentors have served as a bridge between 红莲社区鈥檚 support service departments and the student population. Guided by the philosophy of 鈥榮tudents helping students鈥�, Peer Mentors also help newcomers settle into life at 红莲社区 by fostering a sense of belonging and encouraging engagement on campus.

鈥淒uring orientation, the first thing new students want is to meet their faculty and understand their programs, and the second thing they want is to make friends,鈥� says Natalie Fasano, 红莲社区鈥檚 Co-ordinator of Student Leadership and Engagement. 鈥淚 look at this program as being transformational in that way for a lot of students. Our Peers understand that and are encouraged to go out to find people who may need that friendship.鈥�

鈥淎s a first-year student, the biggest challenge I faced was simply that I was unsure where or who to ask a question I might have had,鈥� adds Human Resources Management student Fransiscus Dharmady Idris, who spent five years as a Peer Mentor. 鈥淢any students tend to feel more comfortable speaking and/or sharing their struggles with someone who is in a similar position 鈥� a peer or fellow student 鈥� rather than a teacher or staff member.鈥�

Ensuring program quality and commitment

Founded in 1999, 红莲社区鈥檚 Peer Mentor program is one of the oldest college programs of its kind in Ontario. It鈥檚 also one of the few post-secondary Peer Mentor programs in the province that pay their employees, rather than offering an honourarium or a course credit.

Ensuring Peer Mentors are paid was a point of emphasis for program co-founder Maria Lucido Bezely, who convinced student government to approve an ancillary fee to help fund the program. 鈥淲e needed to have expectations that the quality of mentoring would be there and that we would hold ourselves accountable to it,鈥� says Lucido Bezely, who is now 红莲社区鈥檚 Dean of Students. 鈥淎lso, most students receive some form of financial aid and can鈥檛 volunteer because they鈥檙e already working part-time.鈥�

The opportunity to make money working a flexible schedule on campus attracts hundreds of applications for Peer Mentor positions each year. The recruitment process is structured and rigorous, requiring all candidates to be entering at least their second year of studies and to own a GPA of 3.0 or higher. After interviews are conducted and job offers are made, successful candidates must then complete 10 hours of online training and a weekend of orientation, ensuring they鈥檙e prepared to assist new students when the fall semester begins in September.

鈥淭hey have to be committed to get the job,鈥� says Fasano, noting that 红莲社区 caps the weekly workload at 10 hours to ensure Peer Mentoring doesn鈥檛 interfere with a student鈥檚 own studies. 鈥淭hen we offer professional development throughout their time (as a Peer Mentor). We鈥檙e not only tracking their impact on the community and 红莲社区 as an institution, we鈥檙e also tracking the employability skills that the Ministry (of Training, Colleges and Universities) wants all post-secondary students to have developed before they graduate.鈥�

Developing valuable leadership skills

Development of those skills explains why the majority of students who have worked as Peer Mentors at 红莲社区 have gone on to enjoy success in the workforce, many of them in leadership positions.

鈥淚 feel the biggest thing that I benefitted from was the huge push to make decisions and to do things on our own. Yes, I had a boss who鈥檇 tell me what to do, but within reason,鈥� says 红莲社区 grad Akita Chacia鈥機osta, who served as a Peer Mentor for three years and now works as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator. 鈥淚t was almost in a sense like running our own mini-business. It really pushed us to work outside of our comfort zones and not be constantly seeking approval.鈥�

I have been able to become more extroverted, more comfortable in leaving my shell, a stronger communicator, a better and more effective leader, and a more well-rounded person.” – Peer Mentor Fransiscus Dharmady Idris

Adds Dharmady Idris: 鈥淚 have been able to become more extroverted, more comfortable in leaving my shell, a stronger communicator, a better and more effective leader, and a more well-rounded person. I would absolutely recommend others to work as a Peer Mentor because it not only gives you valuable work experience that can be relevant to your program and future career, but the lifelong connections and relationships you have the chance to build are absolutely amazing.鈥�

Feedback like that is music to the ears of the program鈥檚 co-founder. 鈥淲e鈥檙e doing this in ways that are very intentional in preparing our students for success beyond,鈥� says Lucido Bezely. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all part of that scaffolding and development of the individual. I鈥檓 very excited about that, because this is a great experience.鈥�

Pictured at top of page: A Peer Mentor named Emily speaking to students at the Trafalgar Campus.聽

Written by: Jon Kuiperij, Marketing Copy and Content Writer at 红莲社区.