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HOW DO THE BENEFITS OF PEER-TO-PEER SUPPORT TRANSLATE INTO AN EMPLOYABILITY CONTEXT?
Paul Gratrick, Employability Business Partner at the University of Liverpool, outlines a HECSU-funded project to research the use of peer-topeer models in an employability space and key stakeholders’ perceptions of this design and delivery method.
n 2018, the University of Liverpool holistically redesigned its service to achieve scale in employability delivery and to increase student engagement, with one element being the introduction of the UK’s first student-led frontline service. A roster of 20 current students operate our Career Studio.
There are known benefits to peer-led models. In a context where there is increasing need for wellbeing support, peer-led scenarios can lead to lower anxiety in students (Roger & Tremblay, 2003). Peer-topeer interactions also contribute to students making new social connections (Glaser et al, 2006) and students who engage in peer-models have higher levels of university integration (Collings, 2014). Amongst these benefits, strong clarity is required on the role of each participant in a peer-to-peer scenario (Colvin & Ashman, 2010). It has also been noted that there are significant benefits to the peer-leader/mentor in such models (Dennison, 2010).
RESEARCH DESIGN To ensure our Careers Studio model was operating effectively, we sought HECSU funding to explore two research questions: 1. How do the known benefits of peerto-peer support translate into an employability context for the purposes of enabling a service to effectively scale its offer to stakeholders? 2. What components are needed to successfully implement a service-wide change process for the benefit of key stakeholders?
THE LEVELS OF POST-VISIT ACTIVITY ARE EXACTLY WHAT WE AIM TO ENCOURAGE AS PART OF OUR NUDGE THEORY APPROACH
We began surveying students from September 2019, ending in March 2020 due to Covid-19 campus closure. To examine best practice in service redesign, a series of focus groups with key stakeholders were due to take place in Spring 2020, but these were postponed. However, we have been able to gather enough data before the unexpected disruption.
All student interactions were recorded. In the week following their Career Studio visit, students were emailed a digital survey to complete. The survey was sent to unique visitors in each semester, with the incentive of a monthly prize draw to encourage completion. During the survey timeframe we received 267 viable responses from 2,590 unique visitors. This gives us a confidence level of 90% and margin of error of 5% in our findings, leaving them statistically significant.
KEY FINDINGS We asked students about their interactions with Career Coaches. The Career Studio needs to be a welcoming space and we know that it’s important that people understand their roles in peer situations (Colvin & Ashman, 2010). Students agreed that coaches were friendly (99%), knowledgeable (89%), trustworthy (93%), and that they had outlined how they can help (91%).
Glaser et al (2006) and Collings (2014) established how peer models help make new connections and aid integration. Asking students about this, we saw that: • 79% strongly agreed/agreed that the
Career Coaches related to their personal situation • 77% were very positive/positive about discussing their query with another student • Only 5% were unaware that the Career
Coaches are current students
Whilst visiting the Career Studio enables wider university integration, only 36% of respondents felt that they had made a connection with someone who can ‘help you with your future career and grow your network’, with 31% unsure if this had occurred. This indicates we could perhaps do more to articulate the role of the Career Coach, but students are appreciative of the role they do.
The Career Studio is there to help students to feel less anxious about their career. Before visiting, 40% of students were anxious/ very anxious about their career and only Career planning (2%) LinkedIn update (7%) Interview prep (3%) Job searching (16%) Researching (5%) Go to event (24%) Updated CV (20%) Take on a new role (7%) Applications (16%)
Actions taken as a result of visiting the Career Studio
• 81% strongly agreed/agreed that employing students to work with other students creates a vibrant, inclusive university community • 77% were very likely/likely to engage with other areas of the university having visited the Career Studio
28% were very positive/positive. After visiting, this changed significantly, with 9% feeling anxious/very anxious and 68% very positive/positive. Such a shift in anxiety levels is very heartening. 91% of students either completed the actions they had agreed with the Coach, or took additional career actions. The levels of activity post-Career Studio visits are exactly what we aim to encourage as part of our nudge theory approach. Following a thematic analysis of free text responses, the majority of students went to careers events, updated their CV or began to search for jobs. 90% indicated that they are likely to return in the future for further help. 95% strongly agreed/agreed that the opening hours suited their needs and that the drop-in element gave them control. 22% would have preferred a booked time and 15% were less likely to attend given the drop-in system. Whilst low, there is a need to understand if this 22% have some shared characteristics. Finally, with a net promoter score of 43% (55% rating 9-10, 12% rating 1-6 on a 0-10 scale) we feel confident that students value this new space and will inform their peers of its effectiveness.
/in/paulgratrick paul.gratrick@liverpool.ac.uk @paulgratrick
FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS Areas to develop further include how we can ensure students come out of their Career Studio experience feeling that they made useful connections. We will also explore why a minority would have preferred a booked time slot. Overall, the Career Studio is enabling increased engagement: visits have increased 76% this academic year, despite the early physical closure. Scalability has been achieved with faculty teams now focusing on curriculum work and not frontline delivery.
The benefits of peer models are coming through in this context, with lower anxiety levels after visits, and students understanding the role of Career Coaches, taking actions and integrating more with the university.
With contributions from: Elissa Day, Emma Moore, Alexis Nolan-Webster and Iwan Williams.
