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Community, School, and Campus Mentoring Models in Ireland

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Brady, B., Duffy, L., Keenaghan, C., Morrissey, S., Flynn, P., & Crosse, R. (2025). Mentoring for access, retention, and student success: A profile of models developed by Irish higher education institutions. Irish Educational Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/03323315.2025.2568446

Introduction

Brady and colleagues examined how Irish Higher Education Institutions (HEI) use mentoring to expand access, support retention, and foster student success among underrepresented learners. Against the backdrop of Ireland’s National Access Plan and broader global equity goals, mentoring is framed as a relational strategy that builds social and cultural capital, resources that are essential for navigating pathways into and through higher education.

Methods

The study used qualitative semi-structured interviews with 23 stakeholders, including HEI staff, school and community partners, mentors, and mentees. Interviews explored aims, operations, benefits, and challenges across mentoring initiatives within the West–North-West regional cluster of Ireland. Reflexive thematic analysis guided coding and interpretation, with attention to researcher reflexivity and triangulation.

Results

Three mentoring models emerged:

  1. School/FE-based Mentoring: Short-term, group-based relationships between HEI students and school learners. Benefits include relatable role models and greater awareness of higher education pathways; limitations include shallow relationship depth and limited outcome tracking.
  2. Community-Based Mentoring: Local mentors provide wraparound, ongoing support between adults and youth. Strengths include tailored guidance and strong interagency collaboration; challenges involve slow engagement and difficulty finding long-term impacts.
  3. Higher Education Mentoring: Staff or peer mentors support first-year students’ transition, confidence, and help-seeking. Students appreciated emotional and practical support, though programs faced inconsistent uptake and operational complexity.

Discussion

Across models, mentoring enhances social and cultural capital, reduces psychological barriers, and supports smoother transitions into higher education. Sustainability challenges in funding, evaluation capacity, and program clarity limit long-term impacts. Still, mentoring aligns with Ireland’s national goals in promoting inclusive, partnership-driven approaches to student success, a value that other national municipalities should consider for how to implement successful outcomes in youth.

Implications for Mentoring Programs

Programs should prioritize clear communication of mentoring purposes and options. Long-term funding is necessary to sustain community and school partnerships. Implementing training that emphasizes relational quality and cultural responsiveness. Systems to track progression and retention outcomes ethically.

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