A Problem Shared… The Value of Peer Mentoring as a Tool for Supporting Lifelong Learning in Higher Education : A Study of the Experiences of Mature and Black & Ethnic Minority Students

The role played by formal Peer Mentoring programmes in supporting learners within Higher Education is reflected in the literature. However, few studies have focused on the contribution made by formal Peer Mentoring Programmes in supporting BME and mature learners at University. Moreover, whilst a significant amount of previous work suggests that Peer Mentoring promotes student retention, there is little empirical evidence regarding the degree to which formal Peer Mentoring Programmes promote academic success with regards to non-traditional learners. Thus, in drawing attention to the early stages of a large international study, this paper begins to provide distinctive insight into the pedagogical and social value of Peer Mentoring from the perspectives of two distinctive groups of lifelong learners.