Mentoring: A Young Person’s Perspective

I believe that my mentoring experience has shaped who I am today.

I am the first person in family to attend university which meant I had nobody to speak to about the application process. I also knew early on that I wanted to move away from home to study which made the prospect even more daunting. When I first met my mentor, I was in my 5th year of high school and thought about applying to Dentistry. I was paired up with my mentor on the grounds of his knowledge of medicine. We met on a weekly basis and discussed what is expected from Dentistry applicants. Unfortunately, I did not achieve the 5 A's in my 5th year Higher exams needed to be considered for Dentistry. I was extremely disappointed and thought that this would mean I would no longer be mentored.

However, I actually found my mentor a lot more useful after this news. At this point, my mentor asked if I still wished to pursue Dentistry or if I would like to explore different career paths. I decided that I no longer wanted to do Dentistry, as I was now aware of how competitive this course is. However, I had no idea what other subjects might interest me. My mentor then suggested doing some volunteering over the summer holidays and set up work experience for me with Visibility (a sight loss charity). My role was an Administrative Assistant. From this work experience, I discovered that I do not want an office job and that I loved working with and supporting people.

So, when it came to choosing a subject to study I based it on what I had learned from volunteering. My mentor looked through different university prospectuses with me and I chose a few courses based on a process of elimination. My mentor then gave me suggested edits for my personal statement. It was so beneficial to have that one-to-one support and reassurance when tackling something I had never done before.

As well as supporting my transition into higher education, my mentor would constantly be sharing knowledge with me. I do not remember everything that we discussed but I do remember speaking about the Scottish independence referendum that was ongoing at the time. This discussion had a huge influence on how I voted as my mentor remained impartial and told me some facts that I was unaware of at the time.

Another discussion we had was around the format of a professional email and another focused on the importance of time management. I feel that each of these discussions benefited me and will continue to benefit me throughout my academic career.

I am now about to go into my final year of Community Learning and Development at Dundee University. My mentor continues to support my learning by helping me construct a good CV and by proof reading my academic work. Over the 5 years that I have worked with my mentor I feel my confidence has dramatically increased. I have also built a strong friendship with my mentor and feel comfortable contacting him for advice on just about anything. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity and would definitely recommend it.