The Graeme Dingle Foundation’s Stars Peer Mentor training took place on Tuesday 25th and Wednesday 26th January. These training days aimed to prepare our students for their mentoring journey so they could confidently facilitate a structured session with their assigned year 9 class. 

The turnout to these training days was fantastic, with just over seventy-five students attending. This year’s Peer Mentors are a mix of new and returning peer mentors, making for a potent combination of fresh blood and experienced veterans.

On the first day of training, our Peer Mentors were introduced to the Graeme Dingle Foundation and the components that make up the Stars programme. They also covered the five c’s of positive youth development, how teenage brains function, plus styles and examples of different mentors. Students learned through PowerPoint presentations, group discussions and activities.

On the second training day, students were organised into their year 9 mentoring groups, where they worked together the whole day. They were able to express their strengths and what skills they would like to improve on. Students covered experiential learning through activities where they could identify and understand the importance of teamwork and leadership. Each group planned a structured session which they practised on another group. 

These Peer Mentors aim to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Watch this space as our school leaders build up those coming through the ranks at Waitākere College.