Outcomes of a peer mentoring program for university students with disabilities

As individuals with disabilities attend postsecondary education in greater numbers, mentoring programs are being implemented more frequently. The research objective of our exploratory study was to examine outcomes for students with disabilities participating in a Student to Student Mentoring Program using a mixed methods approach. Mentors followed a curriculum structured by monthly and weekly goals and the impact of the program was measured using quantitative self-report measures and thematic analysis of focus groups. Academic outcomes were compared between those mentored and a matched comparison group. Mentoring had most impact in knowing how things work at the university, how to meet people on campus, and accessing supports. There were no significant differences in academic outcomes between the two groups. A follow-up study indicated that mentees continued to benefit one-year on. Overall, while a range of positive outcomes were evidenced, the model was limited in its impact, particularly with regards to academic success and more complex challenges.