In partnership with Trinity College Dublin, Portlaoise College recruited a number of parent volunteers to act as Community Mentors to Third Year students in our school.
These parents received training from Trinity College Dublin and then delivered mentoring sessions that focused on the following areas:
- Setting SMART goals
- Time Management
- Developing a Growth Mindset
Third Year student Jake Byrne said that it was a “brilliant experience” and that he felt empowered to think more about his future career and explore what routes may take him there. Abi Dixon, also a Third Year student, said that the mentoring sessions really helped her with “goal setting and creating a study timetable”.
Both students commented on how the experience boasted their confidence and highlighted the importance of taking ownership of their own learning.
Guidance Counsellor Daryl Egan thought that it was an “excellent initiative that provided a pathway for the school to tap into wider school community to draw on their skills and talents for the benefit of our Third Year pupils.”
Principal Noel Daly commented that: “This successful programme has certainly helped raise the aspirations of our second-level students with the help of local role models.
“Our Community Mentors are a valuable resource, helping to share information and advice about their college experience to support and inspire the students of Portlaoise College.”
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