So far Talk2Nish has trained two cohorts of peer mentors and this is what they and their school have had to say about what they have learned about themselves and others and about the benefits of the programme. The students who were mentored have also fed back to their mentors, saying how the mentoring helped them to manage their emotions, made them feel more motivated and helped resolve personal conflicts.
Ruth Wootton, Deputy Head Teacher and Designated Safeguarding Lead at Anglo European School, Essex: "We are so fortunate to have the Talk2Nish programme in our school. Our student mentors have received high quality training which they can use to support younger students in school, and carry forward as skills for life. The mentors all talk positively about the skills they learned during the training and preparation days and we know that parents and students appreciate knowing that there is a group of young people who have been trained to listen and offer support and guidance. Our Talk2Nish mentors are a valuable part of the school's early help mental support framework."
“I think the peer mentor programme has opened up my awareness to the struggles facing younger students since the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as improving my listening skills for mental health issues. The course made me feel more confident as a peer mentor, so I felt better equipped when a student came to me with struggles. I think it has given me lifelong skills that can help friends and family members when they are struggling.”
“People seem to talk more openly about their mental health and with awareness of the programme, it seems to have increased awareness of the well being of others, to the extent where, from what I’ve seen, a lot of instances are resolved within friend groups as a product of the influence of “Talk 2 Nish”. I learnt valuable skills, such as how to talk to people about sensitive issues, how to empathise sincerely and to be more expressive in advice. I think these skills will support me in University and beyond.”
“I have gained important knowledge about mental health issues and how to combat them and prevent them, so maintaining good mental health which will not just help me but also, I can talk to my friends/ family about how and the importance of good mental health.”
“Training was useful as it taught me how to handle drastic and unexpected changes and reveals that would occur in conversation. This experience has taught me the foundations of mental health that I can build upon in the future with other courses or roles as a peer mentor.”
“I think this programme was very helpful as we were able to relate and talk with the younger students as a friend. I think participating in this programme has helped my communication skills, understanding when it’s best to listen rather than talk has proven very helpful in student sessions. I found the training particularly useful when establishing boundaries with the mentee. I enjoyed this experience as not only did it allow me to help others but also allowed me to develop personal skills of communication, sensitivity and time management.”
“I feel that I have benefitted from the participation in this programme because it has actually taught me how to take care of myself more. Sometimes people get too caught up in day-to-day life and being able to support other students allows you to realise that you should be doing the same. This experience will certainly help me in the future because it has taught me how to help those around me and be able to create a caring environment.”
