Most Engaging mentor winner Owen Davey with Musharaf Asghar.
Swansea University student mentors have been recognised for the outstanding support they have provided to school pupils.
This year’s South Wales Reaching Wider Mentoring Awards saw Swansea representatives take home all the awards for mentors, seeing off competition from Cardiff University, Cardiff Metropolitan University, University of South Wales, and UWTSD.
The mentors honoured were:
- Most Inspiring mentor: Winner Serena Ketty
- Most Engaging mentor: Winner Owen Davey
- Most Inspiring mentor: Runner-Up Casi Jones
- Most Engaging mentor: Runner-Up Lucy Perry
Reaching Wider works with school pupils, families and adults from the most deprived areas of Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire as well as with care-experienced young people and carers from across the region. It offers a range of inspiring learning and attainment-raising activities for children, young people and adults which create pathways to higher education.
Its mentoring programme sees existing university students acting as mentors to provide on-line 1:1 support to learners aged between 14 and 19. Each one is specially matched with a learner and can offer them advice, and guidance about life after school.
The mentees are supported to develop their study skills, revision techniques and research career pathways. The programme’s weekly topics include funding, study skills, and interviews, help mentor-mentee pairs develop relevant skills.
Judges singled out Serena for going above and beyond when it came to engaging mentees and described her as a brilliant support to all her mentees. They went on to praise Owen’s commitment and eagerness to get involved in as many additional opportunities as possible.
Serena said: "Being part of the mentorship programme has allowed me to make a difference in young people’s lives. It’s been so rewarding to see the positive steps they’ve taken towards their futures. "
Owen added: "Just being nominated for the award was an honour, especially in my first year as a mentor. Winning was amazing. None of it would be possible without the Reaching Wider team which works to make the projects possible and supports us with the training and feedback forums. Making sure every mentee finishes with more confidence in themselves and knowledge about what opportunities are available to them has been my focus and it's great to see it recognised and valued."
Widening Participation and Reaching Wider Lead Alice Davies said: “It’s fantastic to see our mentors recognised in this way – their commitment really does make a lasting difference to young people across the region. Our student leaders really are the best asset we have.
“There’s something very powerful about hearing from someone close to your own age, with shared experiences, talking honestly about what university is like.
“They work with young people from primary school onwards, building confidence and broadening aspirations. For many of these mentees, the mentoring programme is the final step in a journey that started years earlier.”
Keynote speaker at the awards ceremony was Musharaf Asghar, who came to fame after overcoming his stammer in TV show Educating Yorkshire.
Find out more about Reaching Wider at Swansea University