Mentoring works when a trusting relationship is established so that the mentored student feels safe to try out new skills and ideas.

Student mentoring involves more experienced teachers, students or community members guiding the less experienced by modeling appropriate work habits, listening to concerns and helping with problem solving and planning.

Mentoring relationships can be established between:

  • teacher and student
  • student and student
  • community member and student.


Examples of student mentoring programs in NSW Government schools include:

Beginning Well

Beginning Well is an early intervention program which aims to help children settle into school easily. It is based on research which shows that children who make a good start to school are more likely to enjoy their education and achieve well.

Beginning Well provides opportunities for schools to work together with families, children and the community to ensure a more successful transition to school for children with identified behaviour difficulties.

The program supports children from three-and-a-half to five (3.5 – 5) years of age in prior-to-school settings and as they transition to Kindergarten.

Learning Assistance Mentoring Program

The Learning Assistance Mentoring Program (LAMP) supports children at risk of not making a successful transition from Year 2 to Year 3 at school.

LAMP is based on the Learning Assistance Program (LAP), which originated in South Australia in 1976 (www.lap.asn.au).

The six 'Cs' of LAP outline the roles and responsibilities of mentors. These are:

  • care
  • communication
  • content
  • confidentiality
  • commitment
  • cooperation.


Law Firms Encouraging and Assisting Promising Students

Law Firms Encouraging and Assisting Promising Students (LEAPS) ia a workplace learning program involving Year 9 students at risk of leaving school early. Students are matched with a lawyer from a law firm who provides mentoring support to the student.