Peer Assisted Learning
Get support from your peers
Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) is mentoring support for undergraduate students by students normally on the same programme, but in the year above. This student-led support can take the form of timetabled group sessions, 1:1 mentoring interactions within a taught workshop and drop-ins linked to a particular skill or assessment.
PAL can help you gain a deeper understanding of your course content and expectations as well as increase your academic confidence. Engage with this student-led support on a regular basis and benefit from the experience of current students who have been where you are now.
Starting university is exciting but can also be daunting. Learning alongside other students on your programme, however, can give you a greater opportunity to discuss ideas, broaden your knowledge, gain confidence, make friends and adjust to university life more quickly.
"PAL helped me from the beginning to the end of the year as it gave me a student perspective on the work load. This really helps you settle in as you can ask them where things are or the questions you wouldn’t want to ask your lecturers. You can almost say they are like your academic lifeline."
"As a PAL Mentor, I developed my confidence in supporting others, strengthened my communication skills, and gained real satisfaction from helping newer students settle into university life.
A highlight for me was seeing how much peer support built trust within the group for creating an environment where students felt comfortable asking questions they might not otherwise have asked in lectures or seminars.
The experience also helped me grow my leadership skills and taught me how to adapt my approach depending on the needs of different students and sessions. It was rewarding to know I was making a tangible impact on their early university experience."
"My PAL Mentor has helped me to identify areas I am struggling with. They have enabled me to practise skills to help me gain more confidence in my abilities and I now know how and when to ask for help."
Become a PAL Mentor
Put your knowledge and experience of being a UWE Bristol student to good use by helping other students to help themselves, and get paid for it.
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