足球竞彩app排名 Transitions and Persistence Unit

Start main page content

First-Year Experience Mentorship Programme

Every first-year student is introduced to the First-Year Experience Mentorship Programme and assigned a mentor. This year-long peer-to-peer support journey is designed to develop a sense of community to ensure that first-year students feel a sense of belonging and connectedness with the university community.

A mentor is a senior student with extensive institutional knowledge and experience of student and academic life within the university. 

The objectives of the Mentorship Programme is to take first-year students on a journey of discovery, facilitated through:

  • Creating safe spaces for first-years to build a peer support network;
  • Connecting first-year students to key support structures;
  • Creating a proactive, shared, goal-orientated and caring relationship to ensure the student success of first-year students;
  • Ensuring that first-year students feel like partners in their learning journey.
Connecting Mentees with Mentors

The session is aimed at connecting mentees with their allocated mentors who are registered within the same or similar disciplines. One mentor is allocated to a group of 10 mentees. In 2025, mentor-mentee groups were created on the FYE Ulwazi platform to alert mentees of their allocation their mentor groups as well as where sessions were scheduled to take place.

Mentor inductions and training: growing individuals, building connections

The FYE Mentorship Programme has established a strong foundation for mentor-mentee relationships, equipped mentors with essential skills, and provided ongoing support and development opportunities.

The programme begins early in the year with a two-day induction for new mentors, covering logistics, communication protocols, mentorship platforms, programme structure, required submissions, co-curricular transcripts, student support services, and faculty advisors. Mentors also attend faculty-specific induction sessions. Mentorship training is crucial for the Gateway to Success and First-Year Experience programmes, helping first-year students transition successfully from high school to university.

In February, mentors received training on topics such as group dynamics, engagement, power dynamics, accountability, support services, training skills, and programme logistics. The overall aim of the training was to develop the mentor’s abilities to establish rapport with other mentors and mentees, encourage mentors to optimize their potential, develop their skills, and improve their mentoring performance.

Throughout the year, as part of mentors' continued professional development, workshops are hosted covering topics such as Mentor Community Building, Self-love, 足球竞彩app排名 to Professional transitions, and Mentor Wellness.

Opportunities to take part in Wits events
FYE Varsity Rugby Cup Game

The first of many Wits events that mentors are invited to is the Wits Rugby Varsity Cup Game, University of the Witwatersrand vs University of Johannesburg on the 17 March 2025 at 16h45 - 18h45.  This event formed part of the Mentor Experience (ME) sessions, with the objective of immersing mentors in the Wits sporting culture, fostering camaraderie, and strengthening their identification with the FYE Mentorship Programme.

Market Theatre Experience: The Fall

There were 14 mentors selected to experience the Market Theatre production: The Fall on the 24 April 2025. Mentors were incentivised based on their due diligence to their portfolio submissions, commitment to their mentees and the FYE Mentorship programme. This collaborative piece of workshopped protest theatre is an intense portrayal of the lived experiences of students in the heat of the Fees must Fall movement.

FYE Mentorship Recruitment and Selection

Application open dates: 28 July 2025 | Application close dates: 22 September 2025

Criteria:
  • Undergraduate students with average mark of 60% across all subjects in Block 2(with co-curricular activities)
  • Undergraduate students with average mark of 65% across all subjects in Block 2 (without co-curricular activities)
  • Post graduate students
Process:
  1. The Dean of 足球竞彩app排名 issues an invitation letter to all students who were in good academic standing. The letters encouraged active citizenship and volunteerism through their mentorship applications.
  2. Faculties and the STPU staff review and screen applications and select those who met criteria.
  3. What are the application forms screened for?
    • Understanding of a peer mentor role
    • Values that set candidates apart for the role
    • Contribution to the lives of students through mentorship
    • Gains from the FYE mentorship programme
    • Challenges experienced
    • Reference letter (from a credible referee).

 

The application links will be updated upon the commencing of the application open dates.

Share