Amy’s story
Amy, a Psychology student at the University of Glasgow, shares her experience of volunteering as a mentor with IntoUniversity.
Amy and her mentee, Christine
Amy discovered IntoUniversity through her Psychology lecturers while studying in the fourth year of her degree at the University of Glasgow. Keen to develop her skills despite having no prior experience working with young people, she has been an enthusiastic and creative mentor, building a strong relationship with her mentee and supporting them to overcome challenges and achieve their goals.
“Studying Psychology at university has made me passionate about supporting individual development, in particular in an educational context. I was also really drawn to IntoUniversity’s one-to-one Mentoring programme, as it allows a more tailored approach for each individual student. As IntoUniversity’s Mentoring programme is structured over a period of time, it focuses on long-term support which has enabled me to build trust with Christine [Amy’s mentee]. Our mentoring sessions focus on helping Christine reach both her academic and personal goals.
I most enjoyed one of the first mentoring sessions Christine and I had together, where we set her long-term and short-term goals, and mapped out how they would progress over the following sessions. It was really inspiring to see Christine take ownership of her aspirations and take actionable steps to achieve her goals.
Since volunteering for IntoUniversity, I have developed many new skills. In particular, I have improved my communication skills, trying to ensure that mine and Christine’s conversations are engaging and productive, while also developing my relationship building skills. I have gained skills that have helped me in my personal life and that I will carry on to future career plans as well
I volunteer because I want to help improve the education and personal development of young people who face structural barriers.”