Think Ahead Alumni Community
The Alumni Community
Our Alumni Community is for people who have completed the Think Ahead programme. Members get to be a part of a thriving community of passionate individuals, eager to stay connected, support each other and learn new skills to develop their practice.
If you have any questions about the alumni community or events, please get in touch on alumni@thinkahead.org.
Think Ahead Peer Mentoring Scheme
The Think Ahead Peer Mentoring Scheme matches Think Ahead alumni (Peer Mentors) with Think Ahead participants in Year Two of the programme (Peer Mentees) to provide support, advice and guidance.
What is Peer Mentoring?
Peer mentoring is commonly used in education and workplace settings. It is a semi-structured form of mentorship between a person who has lived through the experience and a person who is new to that experience. The peer mentor draws on their experience, acting as a guide or advisor for their less experienced counterpart.
The key benefits of peer mentoring are:
- Promote a sense of belonging and pride
- Improved wellbeing
- Improved retention and general engagement
- Access to tacit knowledge gained from experience
- CPD/leadership experience
Why is there a need for Peer Mentoring?
We have recognised that in Year Two, participants’ increased workload in their first year of employment, paired with dissertation, ASYE and less programme structure from Think Ahead, can lead to higher levels of stress, which impact on wellbeing and experience of the programme. In some cases, it may lead to people withdrawing from the programme. Research has shown that a meeting with a peer, who is further along on their social work and programme journey, can be helpful in providing a supportive, less operational engagement. It will be an opportunity to share with a fellow social worker who has also had a similar experience in terms of route to social work. This will hopefully support improved wellbeing and experience of the programme in Year Two.
Will Alumni Peer Mentors receive training?
It will be mandatory for alumni Peer Mentors to complete an online half day training session led by an experienced external provider, facilitated by Think Ahead. This is taking place on Tuesday 12 September 2023 9am – 12 noon.
Both alumni and participants will be briefed on roles and responsibilities, including safeguarding and confidentiality. They will also receive a resource pack to outline these.
Will Peer Mentors be paid?
This is a voluntary role for the alumni with the opportunity for this contribute towards CPD portfolios.
How will Alumni Peer Mentors and participant mentees be chosen and matched?
Both alumni and participants will be self-selected. They will be required to fill in a form stating why they would like to be a mentor/mentee and any preferences. Mentees and mentors will be matched according to placement experiences (trust vs LA, types of teams), regionally and personal preferences such as gender.
What is the time commitment?
The commitment would be from September 2023 to November 2024. An agreement will be signed both mentor and mentee to ensure commitment.
The peer mentor support will be for 14 months from the date the participants begin Year Two of the programme. Whilst Year Two of the programme is 12 months it would be beneficial for the participant to also have support when they transition from the ASYE year.
Initially, peer mentors and mentees will be expected to meet more often to establish a good foundation and level of support for a challenging transition period for participants. The meetings will be semi-structured and should last up to an hour. There is flexibility for pairs to touch base in addition to the advised touch points.
We would advise as a minimum – 8 online meetings lasting 1-hour:
September 2023 – November 2023: Monthly (3 meetings)
December 2023 – November 2024: Bi-monthly (5 meetings)
Who do I contact if I have queries or issues?
The Alumni Associate at Think Ahead will be monitoring and providing ongoing support when required. You can contact Amrit at a.kaur@thinkahead.org.
How do I sign up?
To become a mentor, you must complete the training on Tuesday 12 September 2023 9am – 12 noon and complete the form below before Friday 25 August 2023.