Peer-supported communities
Peer-supported communities give students in the School of Health and Life Sciences the chance to support each other throughout their degree, share ideas and experiences and get to know other students across all years of their degree course.
Getting involved in this scheme will give the opportunity to develop the following Common Good attributes:
- Active and global citizenship
- Confidence
- Entrepreneurial mindset
- Responsible leadership
What’s involved?
Students are allocated to a subject-based community which will consist of members from all years of a degree course, and they are free to shape their community as they like to ensure that it works for them. Students will gain a number of social, academic and professional benefits through being a member of a peer-supported community and there will also be opportunities to work alongside other communities. Participation is voluntary, and there is no set time commitment. Training and staff support throughout are provided.
How will participating in this activity/opportunity allow students to make a positive difference in the communities that we serve?
Central to this initiative is the creation of communities of students who will work together to support and encourage each other throughout their studies to enhance their confidence, sense of belonging, progression and achievement. The members of the communities will come from diverse backgrounds and will not only work together to support each other but will also be encouraged to develop ideas and identify opportunities to work with other communities to develop activities that would benefit both the members and the wider GCU community.
What are the benefits of taking part in this activity/opportunity for participating students?
In addition to providing opportunities to meet and learn from students across all years of their degree courses, this initiative will help develop confidence, leadership and entrepreneurialism, and participants will become engaged GCU citizens. Through working in peer communities, students will be given the chance to develop confidence through working assertively and reasonably within a group to make a positive difference. They will be expected to demonstrate empathy with other members and interact with them in a friendly but professional manner. The communities will be encouraged to identify opportunities for change and develop solutions through problem-solving and creative thinking to work collaboratively to build a network of communities.