How we work with universities
We’ve been working with higher education institutions over the last twenty years to develop mentoring programmes that support student access, participation and success.
We work closely with widening participation and student success teams to offer mentoring support at key transition points throughout the student lifecycle.
We do this through three different mentoring structures:
Who? 13-18-year-old students who want to explore their future education pathways and understand their next steps.
Why? To help students decide on the best path for them, based on their future ambitions, skills or goals, and to better understand higher education, including what university life and study is like, student finance, and higher and degree apprenticeships.
The impact? Participants on the programme will have a better understanding of their next steps and be able to make the decisions that are right for them, as well as feeling more confident about higher education and applying to university in the future.
Mentee’s verdict:
“[Brightside mentoring has] been an invaluable opportunity to get real-time perspective on what it’s like attending university in a pandemic.”
Who? 17 year-olds (and older) who’ve decided higher education is right for them and are ready to apply to apply through UCAS or a degree apprenticeship
Why? To support those ready to apply to higher education to navigate the application process, including advice and guidance on deciding the right institution and course, writing personal statements, the UCAS process and managing offers.
The impact? Students are able to make the best decision for them, as they’ll have received bespoke information, advice and guidance about their options, feel more confident about their choice, and get 1:1, tailored support through the often challenging UCAS process or degree apprenticeship applications.
Mentee verdict:
“[Brightside mentoring is] an individualised mentoring scheme which supports students with their journey to university with unique advice.”
Who? Students with an offer from a university or a place on a degree apprenticeship, who are set to start higher education in the near future.
Why? To help ease the often challenging period for students before they start in higher education, including helping them to feel part of their university community and make friends, understand their support networks once they start, and adapt to a different style of teaching and learning.
The impact? Students feel more confident and comfortable about their move into higher education, by reducing stress, anxiety and confusion, and the programme reduces the number who drop out in the early stages of higher education.
Mentee verdict:
“[Brightside mentoring] helped with paving my decisions to a brighter path, giving tips along the way and relieved my questions that caused me worry about the future.”
Since 2020, we have regularly brought together universities and Uni Connect consortia to work together and reach students across the UK.
Our collaborative programmes include Prepare for Uni, which reassures and settles students who are imminently starting in HE by matching them with current students, Young Refugees, which utilised expertise from Refugee Education UK to provide needed support and guidance to young refugees to navigate the UK HE system, and Bright Carers, working with young carers aged 14-18.
The collaborative programmes are an opportunity for us and our partners to share expertise, experience and best practice and ensure we have the most positive impact on the young people we reach.
Real story - St Mary’s University
In 2020, we worked with St Mary’s University to deliver the Get Set mentoring programme, which provided incoming SMU students with a Student Ambassador mentor.
The overall aim was to support mentees to successfully transition to Higher Education by increasing their confidence in 3 different aspects of university life: social, wellbeing, and academic.
the number of mentees had an idea of how they would prepare for lectures by the end of the programme
the number of mentees felt they could find appropriate help and support when they needed it by the end of the programme
more mentees felt confident they would make new friends at university by the end of programme
It was very helpful because I could get answers to questions I was unsure about
SMU mentee
[The programme] helped me to feel welcome.
SMU mentee
Case study - Bright Carers
In 2021, we designed, developed and ran our Bright Carers programme, bringing together seven universities and Uni Connect consortia and expertise from The Children’s Society to support young carers aged 14-18.
With the pandemic in 2020 leading to 66% of young carers feeling more stressed and 67% feeling more worried about the future, our programme aimed to help build their confidence and resilience as well as increase their knowledge of HE, the benefits of HE, and the application process.
of mentees had a better understanding of the HE application process by the end of the programme
messages were sent on average by mentees
of mentees said the conversations with their mentor helped them feel optimistic about the future
My Brightside mentor has always motivated me to pursue my dream and has assisted me in the [university] application process, making me realise that I am capable of going down this path.
Year 12 mentee