Students Mentoring Staff

Program Overview

Students Mentoring Staff Testimonial Video

Connecting Equity Students and Staff

The Students Mentoring Staff program supports students and staff to form meaningful one-to-one relationships where the student is recognised as the expert in what it’s like to be a Deakin student.

The Office of the Dean of Students has several key initiatives aimed at improving the student experience for students with a disability, medical or mental health condition. The Students Mentoring Staff program is an opportunity for staff members to directly engage with the student experience. We invite all Deakin staff members to express their interest in participating.  

 

Expressions of interest are now open for T2 2024 Students Mentoring Staff program. Please note that this program is only open to current Deakin students who are registered with the Disability Resource Centre (DRC).

Three female students walking in the park on path way in CBD close up. Middle student has textbooks in hand and they're all smiling.- Students in Melbourne CBD

How the program works

The Students Mentoring Staff program matches students with a disability, medical or mental health condition to a staff member at Deakin University in a 1:1 relationship. Staff mentees are mentored by their matched student to better understand life as a Deakin student, and work through feedback and guidance on how they can better support students in their role.  

The program stipulates a minimum of three, and up to five 1-hour online meetings between the staff member and student. Students are recognised for their important role in support equity and staff development by receiving a $50 gift voucher for each of the three meetings ($150 in total). Students and staff have the option to be matched with a staff member outside of their immediate course or area of study, to ensure confidentiality.  

The Office of the Dean of Students sends staff mentees optional activities or topics to follow during the meetings, or staff can use these meetings to discuss topics that are of interest to them, for example: 

  • Showing the student mentor learning materials, such as PowerPoints and rubrics and asking for feedback; 
  • Asking for student guidance on a scholarship of teaching and learning research idea (e.g., research topic or interview protocol); 
  • Discussing issues or challenges the staff may be facing with student accessibility or engagement. 

After each meeting, we also ask staff mentees to complete a mandatory post-mentoring form, where they can share with us their reflections from the meeting and any feedback they’d like to pass along. All feedback will be collated into our annual student voices summary.

ADCET Accessibility in Action Award

We are thrilled to announce that our Equity-First Students as Partners: Students Mentoring Staff program has been honoured with the prestigious 2024 Accessibility in Action Award from the Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training (ADCET). This award celebrates our commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive environment for all students and staff at Deakin University.

Receiving this award is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our student and staff partners. It acknowledges the innovative approach we take to inclusivity and the positive impact it has on our university culture. We are deeply grateful to ADCET for this recognition and to our students and staff for their continuous support and collaboration.

Student and Staff Testimonials

In 2023 we were proud to welcome 85 student mentors and staff mentees to the program. Students delivered 173 meetings with their staff mentors over Trimester 1 or 2. 

Ryan Summers (Bachelor of Psychological Science) and Brianna Laird (Bachelor of Cyber Security) successfully participated as student mentors in Trimester 1 2023. Hear about their experiences and the advice they have for future students and staff in the program. 

Student Mentor

“As an online student I don’t really get much opportunity to talk to people at Deakin, but I feel like I was heard, and the staff member really listened to what I had to say in our activities. I felt like I was actually making a difference and I feel more confident posting in my subject discussion boards now”

Student Mentor

“It was good get behind the protective screen of formality to the nature of a real person [staff mentee] leading a real life with real challenges”

Student Mentor

“I feel more connected to the uni now having gained more insight into life on the “other side” of the screen. I really enjoyed sharing my personal story of disability and brainstorming with my staff match to make their subject more accessible for neurodiverse students. It was great to look at a sample assessment task they were creating and give my opinion on how it could be improved for students like me.”

Staff Mentee

“Cecile* shared with me a lot of great ideas, especially on support services that are available to students. We also discussed good inclusive practice and how to be supportive of students who might be struggling with mental illness etc. It was only our first session, but I already got a lot out of it!” 

Staff Mentee

 

“I had a really valuable discussion with Stefan* around aspects of the course he has really enjoyed or not and talked about ideas that I have for a new unit in terms of how content may be displayed, assessment tasks and learning activities. It was helpful to hear this student perspective from lived experience. As a course director, it was very valuable.” 

Staff Mentee

“It was interesting to learn from the student’s perspective about how they find the various online platforms (Cloud, Sync, etc), as well as experiences in accessing supports if needed. It was also great to be paired with a multi-cultural student and gain that insight into enablers and barriers for their religious practices while on campus.”  

Staff Mentee

“Charlotte* shared so many stories about how to make the classroom more comfortable for students with [mental health] issues, especially when the topic was sensitive. She also provided tips as to how I could best support students with mental health issues in small ways so they knew they were supported, especially when they needed it most. 

Discover More

Coffee Conversations

Coffee ConversationsProgram OverviewEngage, Collaborate, InnovateWelcome to the Coffee Conversations program at Deakin University – an initiative that places students at the heart of teaching and learning innovation. This program is grounded in the Students as...

Unlock Your Leadership Potential with Deakin’s Student Initiated Projects (SIPs)

Unlock Your Leadership Potential with Deakin's Student Initiated Projects (SIPs) Are you ready to take charge, make a positive impact, and gain valuable real-world experience while at Deakin University? Look no further than the Student Initiated Projects (SIPs)...

Announcing the 2024 Students as Partners Microgrant Projects

Following a highly competitive application process, we are pleased to announce the 11 successful 2024 Students as Partners Microgrant projects. We received 21 strong applications spanning across all faculties and portfolios, all seeking to engage students as partners...

2024 Microgrant Applications Now Open

2024 Students as Partners Microgrant Applications Now OpenAll Deakin staff members are invited to apply now for a 2024 Students as Partners Microgrant project.    Applications for Round 1 of the 2024 Equity First Students as Partners (SaP) Microgrant program...

Students as Partners Community of Practice

Students as Partners is a commitment between students and staff to work as partners in learning, research, and University decision making. As part of this commitment, Deakin maintains a Students as Partners Community of Practice group where staff members collaborate...