Zentrale Anluafstelle Barrierefrei
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Peer Mentoring Study Start Accessibility
The mentoring programme Studienstart Barrierefrei of the ZAB - Accessibility Services (ZAB) of Bielefeld University was launched in the winter semester 2022/2023 to support students with disabilities, chronic or mental illnesses both in their entry into university life and in everyday student life. Their mentors, who also have a disability, chronic or mental illness, usually accompany the mentees for semesters. The project runs until 2026 and is funded by the "Inclusive Universities" programme of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
What is peer mentoring?
Mentoring is an effective form of peer support and a good tool for building social networks. The focus is on the tandem, consisting of a mentor who accompanies and supports a mentee. The tandem relationship is based on a peer basis, i.e. both participants have a disability, chronic or mental illness and meet as equals. They are usually in regular contact for one semester. In personalised one-to-one hits, they share their experiences, their life situation and their everyday study life and give each other tips. In this way, both sides benefit from each other. The mentors work on a voluntary basis and are supported by the project coordinator.
Goals
- Social integration and connection at the universities
- Networking and exchange
- Empowerment
- Breaking down barriers
- Developing coping strategies
- Providing information
Initial situation
Students with disabilities and illnesses are often not given sufficient consideration by universities. The diversity of barriers is often underestimated. These are not only of a structural nature (ground-level approvals, automatic doors, lifts), but can also be found in the way teaching is organised (materials provided, disadvantage compensation, individual arrangements).
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Surveys conducted by Bielefeld University and nationwide studies show that many students with disabilities experience severe restrictions in their studies. In addition, students are not sufficiently informed about the existence of special support programmes for students with disabilities, chronic or mental illnesses at the university, even during the history of their studies.
Offers in the peer mentoring programme
The core of the programme is the tandem relationship. In addition to the social integration and connection to the universities, the programme is also about coping with everyday study life in a resource-oriented way and finding social support.
In addition, an exchange with all participants is encouraged: the open exchange formats offer participants the opportunity to enter into a dialogue about the reality of their own lives and studies. They each address a topic block, such as mental health, communication about one's own disability and illness or experiences of discrimination. This is intended to empower and support participants in developing their own skills and strategies to deal with barriers in their studies and also to manage their own disability and illness.
Furthermore, the programme provides additional information on disadvantage compensation and other helpful topics related to studying in cooperation with internal university consultants as part of input formats. This offers low-threshold approval of counselling and support services.
Studienstart Barrierefrei promotes a sense of belonging through other peer-based formats such as games evenings, café get-togethers etc., even during lecture-free periods, and addresses students' feelings of loneliness.
Exclusive offers for mentors are intended to support them in their role and give them a space in which they can ask questions and address problems if there is a hitch in the tandem relationship.
The project coordinator, who can be contacted at any time, provides a low-threshold counselling service for all participants. This not only supports mentoring, but also sponsors the continuous development of the programme.
Procedure
Preparation
- Scheduling and room booking
- Enquiries from consultants
- Advertising
- Registration and preliminary talks
- Formation of tandems through project coordination
Programme
- Mentor workshop
- Kick-off workshop
- Preparation & realisation of the events
Accompanying offer
- Offer of counselling sessions during the semester
- Support for mentors through mentor meetings
- Games evenings