Benefits of PASS

Peer Assisted Student Support is intended to provide a safe, friendly and supportive environment to help first year students:

• adjust quickly to the demands of third level education
• acquire a clear view of course direction and expectations
• develop their independent learning and study skills to meet the requirements of higher education
• enhance their understanding of the subject matter of their programme through collaborative group discussion
• prepare better for assessed work and examinations
• feel more at home among their peers
• increase their confidence

By becoming a PASS Leader, you can:

• development of their personal and professional skills such as leadership, team working, organising, time management, listening, interpersonal communication, facilitation and presentation skills;
• increased confidence;
• provides valuable experience to enhance their CVs;
• provide an opportunity to receive a digital badge and gain credits for their activities.

As a lecturer, you will see a number of benefits from Peer Assisted Student Support, including:

• A reduction in the number of minor requests and queries from first year students, as PASS Leaders can act as a first point of contact for ‘specific information/queries’ on settling into college life.
• Helps students to become better prepared for their lectures or/and tutorials.
• Helps students to better manage their workload and keep up with course work and assignments distributed by the lecturer during the term.
• Help students learn more effectively in a peer based group.
• Leaders give regular feedback to the ‘PASS Programme Co-ordinator’ which feeds back to their school management and lecturers.

Faculties and Departments that introduce Peer Assisted Student Support to programmes can expect to reap the following benefits:

• PASS creates links between classes across the programme, which can help develop a more cohesive culture in your school/department.
• The level of student involvement in – and ownership of – learning is increased.
• Support can be targeted at the specific areas of a programme(s) that students find particularly challenging with an aim to improve student understanding.
• PASS Leaders provide additional feedback for the Programme Boards.
• Valuable additional student support which can be used to present the School or Department positively during institutional audits, subject reviews or marketing initiatives.
• In the student PASS Leaders, the programme gains committed students who can help promote the course and even meet with internal or external reviewers.