Peer Mentor vs Wellbeing Ambassador: Which Student-Led Approach is Right for Your School?

Implementing a peer support programme is one of the most effective ways to build a positive school culture and support student mental health. But with different models available, it can be difficult to decide which approach fits best.

Should you train a dedicated peer mentor to work one-to-one with vulnerable students? Or is a broader Wellbeing Ambassador role better suited to your whole-school strategy?

This guide explores the key differences, the relevance to Ofsted guidelines, and why we developed our Wellbeing Ambassadors Programme to bridge the gap between targeted mentoring and universal wellbeing support.

What Does a Peer Mentor Do in Schools?

A peer mentor typically takes on a structured, supportive role. They are matched with a specific mentee—often a younger student who may be struggling with transition, low-level anxiety, friendship issues, or attendance.

The role of a peer mentor usually involves:

• One-to-One Support: Meeting regularly with their mentee in a safe, designated space.
• Goal Setting: Helping the mentee identify small, achievable goals (e.g., joining a club or speaking up in class).
• Listening: providing a non-judgmental ear for worries that a student might not want to share with an adult.
• Signposting: Recognising when a problem is too big and alerting a member of staff.

How Peer Mentors Help Peers

For many students, speaking to a teacher feels intimidating. A peer mentor bridges this gap. They offer relatability and shared experience, which can be incredibly powerful in reducing isolation and helping students feel they belong. This relationship-based support is particularly effective for managing the anxiety surrounding the move from Year 6 to Year 7.

Peer Mentoring and Ofsted Guidelines

While Ofsted does not explicitly demand "peer mentoring," the impact of such programmes aligns perfectly with the Education Inspection Framework (EIF), particularly under Personal Development and Behaviour and Attitudes.

• Personal Development: Inspectors look for evidence that schools are developing pupils' character, confidence, and resilience. A peer mentor programme demonstrates that you are giving students responsibility and opportunities to support others.
• Behaviour and Attitudes: By fostering positive relationships and preventing low-level issues from escalating into bullying or truancy, peer mentors contribute to a calm and orderly environment.
• Safeguarding: A strong peer mentor system adds an extra layer of safeguarding. Mentors are trained to listen and report concerns, often identifying issues that might fly under the radar of busy staff.
• Inclusion: A well-implemented peer mentor program promotes a sense of belonging and inclusivity by ensuring every student feels seen, heard, and supported, regardless of their background or circumstances.

Peer Mentor Training and its Importance

For a peer mentor programme to be effective and successful long-term, it needs comprehensive, well-structured training. This training is essential for equipping mentors with the confidence and skills to support their peers responsibly.

Investing in high-quality training for your peer mentors is a proactive step toward building a safer, more connected, and resilient school community. Here’s why it's so important:

• Builds Essential Skills: Training provides mentors with crucial skills like active listening, building positive relationships, and strategies for fostering inclusion.
• Ensures Safeguarding: Mentors learn to identify and report concerns, acting as a vital part of your school's safeguarding network.
• Boosts Confidence: Well-trained mentors feel more prepared and confident in their ability to handle sensitive situations and provide meaningful support.
• Prevents Burnout: Clear guidance and support systems empower mentors to seek help when they need it, reducing the risk of burnout.
• Creates Positive Culture: When mentors are properly trained, they model positive leadership and help create a ripple effect of supportive relationships throughout the school.

Introducing the Wellbeing Ambassador Role

While a peer mentor focuses on individuals, a Wellbeing Ambassador has a broader, more flexible remit. Think of them as champions of your school's mental health and wellbeing culture.

Instead of (or alongside) the one-to-one work of a peer mentor, a Wellbeing Ambassador might:

• Lead whole-school mental health campaigns (e.g., during Children's Mental Health Week).
• Run lunchtime drop-in clubs or "chill zones" for anyone needing a quiet space.
• Deliver assemblies on stress management or exam coping strategies.
• Gather student voice feedback to inform the school’s mental health policy.
• Collaborate with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to integrate mental health initiatives into the wider school strategy.
• Align mental health strategies with key school priorities, such as improving student engagement and academic attainment.
• Work closely with SLT to review and help adapt policies, creating a whole-school approach to mental health that promotes belonging and connection.
• Share success stories and measurable outcomes to reinforce the value of a proactive wellbeing strategy, fostering long-term leadership commitment.

Why the Broader Remit Matters for Ofsted

The Wellbeing Ambassador model aligns strongly with the "whole-school approach" advocated by the Department for Education and recognised by Ofsted. It demonstrates that mental health isn't just an intervention for those who are struggling, but a core part of the school ethos. It evidences active citizenship and shows that leaders are listening to student voice to shape the school community.

Peer Mentor vs. Wellbeing Ambassador: Pros and Cons

When deciding which direction to take, it is important to weigh the logistical and impact factors of each role.

Peer Mentor

• Pros: deeply impactful for the individual mentee; excellent for targeted intervention (e.g., attendance focus); builds strong interpersonal skills in the mentor.
• Cons: High administrative burden (matching pairs, scheduling rooms, monitoring meetings); can be emotionally demanding for the mentor; reaches fewer students overall.

Wellbeing Ambassador

• Pros: High visibility and whole-school impact; flexible to run (campaigns, groups, or assemblies); lower logistical pressure than one-to-one matching; promotes a universal culture of belonging.
• Cons: Less intensive support for individual vulnerable students; requires clear structure to ensure ambassadors stay motivated and active.

The Importance of Student Voice

Ultimately, the decision shouldn't just be yours. Student voice is critical in deciding the direction of your intervention.

Ask your students: What do they need? Do they want someone to talk to privately (peer mentor), or do they want better environments and more visible support (Wellbeing Ambassador)?

Engaging students in this decision-making process is, in itself, a powerful piece of evidence for your leadership and management strategy. It ensures buy-in and means your intervention addresses the actual, rather than assumed, needs of your cohort.

Why We Developed the Wellbeing Ambassadors Programme

We realised that schools shouldn't have to choose between high-quality training for peer mentors and the broader culture-building of ambassadors.

We developed the Wellbeing Ambassadors Programme to cover both bases. It is a comprehensive train-the-trainer toolkit that equips your staff to train students in core coaching and support skills.

Whether your students go on to become one-to-one peer mentors or campaign-leading ambassadors, they need the same foundational skills:

• Active Listening: How to hear what isn't being said.
• Boundaries & Safeguarding: Understanding that they are supporters, not fixers.
• Wellbeing Strategies: Evidence-based tools from positive psychology to help themselves and others.

Our programme allows you to adapt the outcome to your school's specific needs. You get the structure and resources to train students safely, giving you a flexible workforce of young people ready to support their peers and transform your school culture.

Supporting You to Establish Peer Mentors in Your School

Setting up a successful project for peer mentors can feel like a daunting task, but our comprehensive support package makes the process straightforward and manageable. Whether you're looking to save time, build confidence, or access ongoing resources, our programme has everything you need to succeed.

• Build Confidence: Our evidence-based training equips you and your staff with the knowledge, skills, and tools to establish a safe and effective peer mentoring structure. By grounding the Wellbeing Ambassadors programme in frameworks like SEARCH and positive education principles, you can move forward with clarity and assurance.
• Save Time: Time is often a critical challenge, and that's why our programme is designed for efficiency. With flexible delivery options that include online or face-to-face delivery, and ready-to-use resources, you'll be able to launch and sustain your programme for school peer mentors without adding unnecessary workload on staff.
• Comprehensive Resources: You'll gain access to a library of materials, templates, and case study examples that support every stage of the process, from recruitment and training of peer mentors to monitoring their progress and maintaining engagement.
• Ongoing Support: Our commitment to your success doesn't end with the peer mentor training workshop. We offer continuous CPD opportunities, regular updates, and access to a professional community of educators to share insights and practical advice. This ensures that your peer mentoring programme remains effective, relevant, and adaptable as your school’s needs evolve.

By combining these elements, our Wellbeing Ambassadors programme empowers schools to create a meaningful, sustainable peer mentoring initiative that fosters positive student relationships and enhances overall wellbeing across the school community.

Ready to empower your students? Find out more about the Wellbeing Ambassadors Programme here.

Take the Next Step Towards Training Peer Mentors

Empower your school to build a culture of support and resilience. Download our free cheat sheet filled with actionable tips to kickstart your peer mentoring programme today.

Looking to learn more? Sign up for our free Introduction to Wellbeing Ambassadors Webinar, where we’ll explore how this program can transform your school’s approach to mental health and wellbeing.