Buddy Mentors

Welcome to North Monastery Co-educational Secondary Schools’ Buddy Mentors Programme, where friendship and support flourish!

Designed to foster inclusivity and create a welcoming environment, our Buddy Mentors Programme pairs experienced students with newcomers to ensure a smooth transition into our school community. Through this program, our dedicated and compassionate older students, known as “Buddies,” extend a helping hand to their assigned “Buddy” by offering guidance, friendship, and assistance. Whether it’s showing them around the school, explaining routines, or simply being a friendly face, our Buddies are committed to making every newcomer feel supported and valued.

At our school, we believe in the power of connection and the strength of a supportive community. Our Buddy Mentors Programme embodies these values, fostering positive relationships and creating a sense of unity among students.

Training is provided in Transition Year by a leadership team comprising of Ms Dunlea and Mr Barry while Ms Cronin recruits and supervises the mentors in Fifth Year and facilitates the smooth running of the programme.

Pre-requisites for the Buddy Mentoring Programme:

The programme is voluntary for all parties involved.
The programme is professionally managed and supervised.
All volunteers are screened for their appropriateness, ability and safety.
All volunteers are provided with training about mentoring, child development and child protection .
Mentors meet regularly with the Buddy co-ordinator to evaluate progress and discuss changes

The transition from Primary to Secondary can be a difficult one for some and our Fifth Year Buddies contribute to making it that bit easier, and we are very grateful for their support in ensuring that our First-Year students have a very enjoyable and positive experience in our school.

Pictured Fifth Year Buddies 2022/2023