Student Services Peer Guide 2026/27

The current opportunity is available for current Manchester Met students who will be studying with us from September 2026 and based in the UK for the duration of the role; if your application is successful, we will arrange your Jobs4Students registration before you start work.

Role Purpose:  

All Peer Guides work within the Student Services’ Welfare and Peer Support team to offer comprehensive wellbeing and/or learning support to students. The role aims to enhance the student experience by offering integrated support, advice, and guidance as follows: 

1) Peer Support: Peer Guides provide wellbeing support, advice, and guidance for all students at all levels of study in person, and online with Vygo. 

2) Student Services Support: Long term themed work, supporting varied long-term projects with key stakeholders. 

3) Learning Support: Facilitating weekly timetabled Peer Guide Q&A Sessions (previously known as PAL), sharing academic guidance in specific departments. We also facilitate Hyflex Lectures in certain departments. 

Working hours vary every week. On average most Peer Guides work 2-4 hours a week in term time. With busy weeks supporting with Vygo, facilitating sessions and working at events the working hours can increase based on your availability and commitment to the role.   

Please read the responsibilities of each of these 3 sections below, for more details. 

1. Peer Support:

• Help new students settle into university life, build friendships, and foster a sense of belonging
• Engage with students prior to arrival, answering questions and helping them prepare for university life
• Offer Peer Support through Vygo (web.vygo.app/login), telephone calls, and in-person
• Signpost students, when necessary, to relevant internal and external services
• Plan and co-facilitate peer-to-peer training or workshops to students of all levels to promote and raise awareness of wellbeing issues e.g. neurodiversity, mental wellbeing, harm reduction – drugs and alcohol
• Contribute to the delivery and preparation of specific wellbeing activities and campaigns alongside university staff
• Develop in person and/or online group activities and events to enhance community and facilitate engagement at university 
• Attend and participate in information-sharing events to promote the scheme and wider welfare initiatives to increase awareness and engagement
  

2. Student Services Support: 

This aspect of the role combines the responsibilities of the above plus the following: 

• Contribute to designated areas of themed work based on Student Services support offer and your interests (e.g., Community and Belonging, Content Creation, Digital Literacy, Events and Campaigns, Facilitation, Harm Reduction – Drugs and Alcohol, Health Promotion, International Student Support, Mental Wellbeing, Neurodiversity, Student Engagement, Student Voice)
• Collaborate with other Peer Guides, and staff within Student Services, and manage your time effectively

3. Learning Support: 

• Co-create and design Peer Guide Q&A Sessions to help students settle in, build confidence, and feel ready for the challenges of university life.
• Collaborate in small teams, with staff across the University to enhance academic/learning support initiatives
• Produce shareable contentfor small groups and 1:1 Vygo messaging
• Provide digital support to enhance students' digital literacy skills 
• Promote academic engagement and signpost to available academic resources and support 

General Duties – all Peer Guides must: 

• Maintain appropriate boundaries with students, recognising the purpose of the Peer Guide roles
• Refer any concerns for the welfare or wellbeing of a student to the Student Welfare and Peer Support team to [email protected]
• Ensure adherence to University and Campus Services Policies and Procedures, including Health and Safety Policies
• Handle confidential and sensitive data appropriately, maintaining accurate records in line with GDPR
• Undertake required training and attend meetings as needed
• Regularly monitor your student email and Microsoft Teams accounts for updates from the Peer Support team 
• Act as a role model in personal standards of conduct and appearance whilst representing Student Services and the wider University 

Benefits: 

Click here to listen to our short podcast about how the recruitment process works, and more about the role from current Peer Guides. 

• Boost your employability by developing skills highly prized by graduate recruiters, such as leadership, teamwork, challenging situations, presentation, and facilitation
• Gain confidence and potentially improve your academic performance
• Make a positive difference by helping students with their wellbeing and/or learning  
• Meet new people and build learning communities, and/or wider student-led support communities  

Dates: 1 July 2026 - 31 July 2027

Hours of Work: Variable around studies - on average, 2-4 hours a week, but can be more.

Details of training: Training will be online via Teams and is scheduled for the first week in June. Exact date and time to be supplied to successful applicants.

*This role is only open to current students at Manchester Met who will be enrolled at the university for the 2026/27 academic year.  

Applicants must not have been directly and formally engaged with and known by Student Case Management. 

In addition, all applicants must meet the following requirements: 

Skills:

• Ability to demonstrate empathy, especially concerning others’ lived experiences that might differ from your own
• Ability to work with and understand students from diverse backgrounds to establish their concerns and to help them find solutions
• Ability to put others at ease and to establish a positive relationship
• Ability to recognise when a student is in distress and requires referral to a specialist service
• Ability to be flexible and adaptive to the needs of all students; checking in with them at appropriate intervals
• Ability to work as part of a team to achieve a shared aim or goal
• Good listening, oral, and written communication skills
• Strong IT skills including Microsoft 365 (Teams, Outlook, Powerpoint, Sharepoint and Excel)
• A good understanding of Manchester Metropolitan University, including the opportunities open to students and sources of student support

Attributes:

• Comfortable engaging with students and staff in groups and/or one-to-one settings
• Well-organised and committed to providing a reliable, good quality service to students
• Passionate about academic success and helping others achieve their goals
• Passionate about mental health and wellbeing, and committed to fostering a supportive community

If you require any reasonable adjustments during the application process or while undertaking the role, please let us know, and we will do our best to accommodate your needs. 

We are committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of university life. We welcome applications from all sections of the community, irrespective of background, belief, or identity, recognising the benefits that a diverse team can bring to our Peer Guide roles. 

We strive to create an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and respected. We encourage applications from individuals of all ages, genders, sexual orientations, ethnicities, religions, disabilities, and socio-economic backgrounds. We are dedicated to providing equal opportunities and eliminating discrimination in our recruitment processes and throughout the duration of employment.