Student Life Mentoring

Recruitment is now open. Please click on the 'Recruitment' tab opposite for more information.

Student Life Mentoring provides a proactive supportive service to all students living in University accommodation.

This is done in 4 ways:

1: By using a positive peer support system which enables students to gain invaluable advice and support from individuals that have also experienced life as a student at Surrey.

2: By signposting students to appropriate university services, and thereby empowering students to help themselves.

3: By assisting in mediation of disagreements that may occur within the communal living environment.

4: To create a feeling of inclusion by running regular social events, open to everyone within courts of residence.

Student Life Mentors want students to have an excellent time living in the courts of residences, and to know what to do and where to go if problems do occur.

Mentors work on a rotational system six days a week (Sunday to Friday) throughout undergraduate term time, working from 18:00-21:00. Mentors visit each flat and can also be contacted via telephone (between 18:00-21:00 Sunday to Friday). All Mentoring Team telephone numbers can be found on the 'Contact Us' tab.

We are also very pleased to announce that the most recent 2012 i-graduate survey reported 94.9% of Surrey's students are satisfied with the Student Life Mentoring service. A fantastic result!

The quotes below are from students who have had a Mentor, and also from Mentors themselves:

"We'd like to say how very happy we are with the mentoring we are receiving from our Mentor. She always lets us know of any events well in advance and also tells us when she will be round to see us. She makes sure she sees every single one of us (even though there are fifteen of us) and listens to what each of us has to say each time. She has made our first few months since starting Uni very easy and has made us feel so welcome into the Surrey community. Her positive attitude and demeanour are contagious and we all look forward to her visits! We really value the time she gives us and feel lucky to have her as part of our lives here at University."

University of Surrey student, living in Surrey Court

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my year as a Student Life Mentor. I have faced a variety of issues allowing me to develop my communication and problem solving skills along with negotiation and collaboration skills. It has built my confidence and ultimately made me more employable. I wish to work in HR/Management and so all this experience has been relevant and I am certain that it will help me in the professional environment. Additionally the social events build team work and are always really fun!"

Charlotte, Mentor, Business Management final year student 2011/12

I have also found mentoring to be useful for employability and thought I'd add my experience. During a recent phone interview for an Engineering company. I was asked to talk about a time when I have had to work with people to resolve an issue. I was able to talk about a mentoring related issue and also throw in stuff all interviewers love to hear like 'teamwork', 'communication', 'organisation' etc. The interviewer seemed very interested and impressed in the work us mentors do... and I passed the phone interview so I must have said something right. At first I did not think mentoring would relate much to certain industry roles such as Engineering. However I have realised that the above mentioned soft skills developed in this role are very useful for many different areas of employment.

James, Mentor, Physics final year student 2011/12

Residential Mentoring Central Team Contact Details

Carol Clutton (Residential Mentoring Manager) c.clutton@surrey.ac.uk 01483 683510

Jade Foley (Residential Mentoring Assistant): j.foley@surrey.ac.uk 01483 684824

Stephen White (Residential Mentoring Coordinator): s.white@surrey.ac.uk 01483 686694

The team are located in the Student Services Centre,