Here at the University, there is a growing community of care-experienced students who enrich our diverse student body. To mark this special day, we hosted a small informal breakfast at the Edinburgh Futures Institute to catch up with some of our care-experienced students.
Gabriele Negro, Widening Participation Officer, said:
“This event felt really special. What enhanced it was being able to welcome some of our staff who volunteer as mentors for care-experienced students. Over the past months and years, mentors and mentees have formed beautiful mentoring relationships together, often by simply catching up regularly and being there for each other.
“For us, Care Day is about celebrating those mentoring connections as small but powerful acts of solidarity that continue to happen every week across the University. We want to thank our brilliant volunteers for continue to foster a sense of belonging for our care-experienced students, ensuring everyone can thrive while here at the University.”
The Edinburgh Cares team asked students and mentors to share one thing they learnt from mentoring and how it makes them feel. The responses included:
- “Mentoring makes me feel visible and included. It is great to have one person in a massive place who I know is there when I need some help!”
- “Definitely do it! It is a privilege to be able to spend time with my mentee.”
- “I have learnt to listen. I have learnt more about the power of building relationships.”
- “Mentoring adds so much to my life at the University.”