What are the objectives of the scheme?
The Aimhigher Associate scheme aims to:

• raise aspirations
• improve standards of performance
• increase awareness of the opportunities in higher education
• develop and improve students’ self-esteem, motivation, confidence, persistence, application and time management
• give students a greater understanding of the process of applying to higher education.

Who are the Aimhigher Associates?
Aimhigher Associates are current university undergraduates who, in many cases, come from similar backgrounds to the students, and who may, themselves, have taken part in the Aimhigher programme when they were at school. The Aimhigher Associates have been recruited from Nottingham Trent University, The University of Nottingham New College Nottinghamshire and West Nottinghamshire College. They have been through a rigorous application process and intensive training programme in order to equip them with the essential knowledge, understanding and interpersonal skills necessary to meet the challenge of preparing and organising their mentoring sessions with their mentees.

Who do the Aimhigher Associates work with?
The selection of the right learners is fundamental to the success of the scheme. In principle the learners selected for the scheme must all be suitable students from the Aimhigher widening participation cohort.

How does the scheme work?
Each Aimhigher Associate is responsible for mentoring 5 students who have been selected from the school’s Aimhigher cohort and who, where possible, have been matched in terms of subjects of interests, subjects being studied, personal interests and activities. The scheme runs from November to the end of May and Aimhigher Associates are expected to attend school each week to hold a one to one session with each of their learners during each week of university term time. In addition, Aimhigher Associates are expected to hold a minimum of 5 group sessions with their learners and participate in some e-mentoring exchanges.