Student information
Peer Coaching-a very rewarding job
I am Lieke, and I am currently writing my thesis for the Master’s program in Biology. Last year, I started working as a Peer Coach. Before applying for the job, I didn’t really know peer coaching existed, but when I learned about it, I knew I wanted to contribute.
It gives me great satisfaction to help other students to overcome study issues and I learn a lot in the process. Why am I telling you this? I am looking for new colleagues to complete the team.
Peer coaching lowers the threshold for students to seek support, which I believe is very important. I really value the student support system at WUR and how accessible it is. It is easy to get in touch with a study advisor, life-coach or other support professional. During my bachelor’s, I found it incredibly helpful to be able to reach out to a study advisor whenever I needed to.
The peer coaching program at WUR is another low-threshold resource that makes it even easier for students to seek help for a wide variety of issues. You can think of planning, exam prep or 'how to stay motivated'. Talking to a Peer Coach - a fellow student trained by professionals - can help students take the first steps towards studying more effectively.
You can make a difference
If you are interested in helping students, feel comfortable at the university and are familiar with how things work at WUR, I highly recommend applying for this role. Your experiences can make a difference for other students, and you’ll gain valuable skills along the way.
Coaching sessions are different from normal conversations, and learning how to guide them effectively has been very insightful for me. It has also given me confidence. When you start working as a Peer Coach, you are trained and guided very well by WUR professionals. Also, we meet regularly with the team to share experiences and exchange advice.
Each session is unique
Most of all, it’s an incredibly rewarding job. Helping others and contributing to their success is a great feeling. Even if you can't provide the support yourself, being able to signpost a student to the right support system can make a huge difference to them.
Each coaching session is unique. Sometimes it’s light-hearted, like helping someone navigate Osiris, while other times, you hear a story that sticks with you, and the session might be more challenging. In those cases, you have a great support system to turn to, ensuring you can seek help if it feels overwhelming.
Are you interested in joining our team?
All in all, I am very glad that I decided to become a peer coach, and I would strongly encourage you to apply if helping other students gives you energy!
Check out the job description HERE for more information and who knows we will meet soon at one of the intervision sessions of the Peer Coach Team.
This article was published in the Student Training & Support Newsletter of January 7th 2025. Applications for new peer coaches can be mailed until January 27th, 2025.