Peer mentoring is a process where an individual with more experience or knowledge in a particular area guides, advises, and supports another individual who is of a similar age or status in that area. The mentor provides guidance, encouragement, and feedback to the mentee, with the aim of helping them develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in their personal or professional lives. In peer mentoring, both the mentor and mentee benefit from the relationship. The mentor gains a sense of satisfaction from helping someone else and reinforcing their own knowledge, while the mentee benefits from the mentor's experience and insights. Peer mentoring can occur in a variety of settings, including schools, workplaces, and community organizations. It is often used to support individuals who are new to a particular field, struggling with a particular challenge, or seeking to improve their performance in a particular area.
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Peer mentoring is a process where an individual with more experience or knowledge in a particular area guides, advises, and supports another individual who is of a similar age or status in that area (Haggard et al., 2011). The mentor provides guidance, encouragement, and feedback to the mentee, with the aim of helping them develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in their personal or professional lives (Wang & Shibayama, 2022).
In peer mentoring, both the mentor and mentee benefit from the relationship (Liu et al., 2022). The mentor gains a sense of satisfaction from helping someone else and reinforcing their own knowledge, while the mentee benefits from the mentor's experience and insights. Peer mentoring can occur in a variety of settings, including schools, workplaces, and community organizations. It is often used to support individuals who are new to a particular field, struggling with a particular challenge, or seeking to improve their performance in a particular area (O’Brien et al., 2012). Peer mentoring is a popular approach to supporting students in higher educational institutes. It involves pairing an experienced student mentor with a less experienced student, often a freshman or transfer student, to provide guidance and support throughout their college experience.
The goal of peer mentoring in higher educational institutes is to help students develop academic, social, and personal skills that will enable them to succeed in college and beyond (Andrews & Clark 2011, Gikandi et al., 2011, Hayman et al., 2022). Peer mentors can provide advice on course selection, study strategies, time management, and other academic skills, as well as offer tips on navigating campus resources and getting involved in extracurricular activities.
In the current job markets where there is a prevalence of the flattening of the corporate hierarchy, the working as a team (Cohen 1994, Allen et al., 1999, John 2008) and the growing use of formal mentoring programs within both academia & industry has been looked into seriously. The use of formal mentoring and peer relationships are found to be more important and necessary for the development of a roadmap for career development. The role of peer mentors in counseling is often invaluable as the mentees learn skills such as conflict management & resolution, leadership and interpersonal communication skills which are critical for the efficient and smooth functioning of a team. A study by Kram (1996) showed that team-based work draws into interpersonal relationships leading to improved personal growth & mutual learning. This peer relationship also helps in augmenting one's self-worth, sense of identity & needs. Motivation of the students who volunteer as peer members is an important factor which helps sustain the mentoring process and program (Sengupta et al., 2023).
Peer mentors also serve as role models and sources of social support, helping students to feel connected to the campus community and build relationships with their peers. They can offer guidance on personal issues such as homesickness, stress management, and relationship building (Demir et al., 2014). Overall, peer mentoring in higher educational institutes is an effective way to help students transition into college life, improve their academic performance, and enhance their overall college experience (Akinla et al., 2018).