Broadcast: News items
Coaching and academic mentoring for students
By: Melinda Lowing
Last updated: Wednesday, 3 January 2024
Students work with their coaches to overcome barriers and blocks
Applications are now open to students for coaching and academic mentoring in the spring term. These are opportunities for students to access one-to-one support with someone who can help them with challenges they may be experiencing. Sessions are online, giving students more flexibility and cutting down on travel time.
Staff are encouraged to use these opportunities to provide ongoing support for their students. Coaching and academic mentoring are two separate programmes, so students should apply for the one that will benefit them the most.
Coaching can help students experiencing:
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a sense of isolation or feeling like they don’t belong within any aspect of their experience at Sussex, which is inhibiting their confidence
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low self-esteem or personal challenges which may be creating emotional burn-out or stress
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difficulties with organisation or time-management skills which may lead to not fulfilling their potential
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self-doubt based on stigmas associated with resits or repeating a year.
Academic mentoring can support with:
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improving students’ academic skills
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developing their academic confidence
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having a role model who can provide practical advice about studying at university
These programmes have been designed within the specific context of the University’s Access and Participation Plan 2020-21 to 2024-25, and as such are particularly aimed at home undergraduate students who are from under-represented groups. In addition, the Coaching Programme is particularly targeted at students from the following groups:
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are from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds
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are from a postcode area (home address) facing social challenges or in a postcode area with low progression to higher education (postcodes classed as deciles 1 and 2 in the Index of Multiple Deprivation – a postcode lookup facility is available on the Consumer Data Research Centre mapmaker)
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are care experienced and eligible for care leaver support at Sussex.
For academic mentoring, we especially want to support students from the groups mentioned above. In addition, we will prioritise students who are resitting exams or retaking a year.
Staff are asked to speak with any students who they feel would benefit from coaching or academic mentoring, and direct them to apply online.
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To apply for coaching, students should complete the online application form before the closing date of Sunday 21 January 2024.
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To apply for academic mentoring, students should complete the online application form before the closing date of Sunday 28 January 2024.
Remember that students should only apply for the programme that they feel will be of most benefit to them.
Please note the Coaching Programme is open to all taught students at the University. However, it is not recommended that students who are currently receiving, or about to receive, mentoring support through the Disabled Students’ Allowance, counselling or support for a diagnosed mental health condition, apply for this programme as there is likely to be too much overlap in the support provided, which could be counter-productive for these students.
For more information about the Coaching Programme, see the Coaching Programme webpage.
For more information about academic mentoring, see the Student Engagement and Enhancement webpage.