The University of Pretoria (UP) began offering formal academic student support in 2011 when the first faculty student advisor (FSA) was appointed. Although many more FSAs were subsequently appointed, assistance to all the students in need of support remained insufficient. However, financial assistance through the collaboration grant received from…

The purpose of this instrumental case study was to examine the experiences of international graduate students as they participated in a peer mentor circle (PMC) program that aimed to ease their transitions and foster sense of belonging. International graduate students provide many financial, educational, and social benefits to American…

Educators take special interest in engaging students in school-based social programming to foster their social and academic success. In this study, the authors investigated how educators conceptualized the youth mentoring experience. Elementary school educators engaged in group concept mapping and interpreted data provided by former youth mentors…

The problem of online doctoral student attrition has led institutions to explore solutions to support student completion. According to Tinto's model of institutional departure, learners' social and academic integration must be addressed to increase retention. At online institutions, learners' social integration can be challenging because of fewer…

This article describes a pilot program that employed evidence-based strategies to increase first-generation and low-income (FGLI) student engagement. Over two quarters, the instructors offered three resources allowing students to engage at different levels: panel presentations, themed discussions, and a peer mentor program. Students requested…

Research shows that making friends can be especially hard for students with significant disabilities. Peer support arrangements and peer networks are evidence-based interventions that involve identifying and equipping a group of peers to provide ongoing support to individual students with significant disabilities in or outside of the classroom.…

Obtaining a PhD can be one of the most fulfilling achievements in academia, but for the doctoral student, the journey can lead to attrition prior to the completion of a degree. Research indicated that institutional policies and practices can directly affect doctoral students in completing the dissertation due to lack of structure and support.…

Background: In 2008, the Irish Government initiated a pilot Healthy Schools Programme based on the World Health Organization Health Promoting Schools Model among children attending schools officially designated as urban and disadvantaged. We present here the first results on physical and emotional health and the relationship between childhood…

Summer camps are commonly implemented as a psychosocial intervention for children with chronic illnesses; however, there have been few published consumer (parent and child) satisfaction evaluations of summer camps. Such evaluations are important both for improving existing services for children and families, as well as to build an empirical…

This article highlights the Orbital Experience (OE), a unique experience that explores the affective domains of second language acquisition, including communication in the target language, making interdisciplinary connections, and fostering a community of learners. Through Orbitals, students serve as experts by researching a topic of interest,…

The yshareit project aims to increase awareness of and access to reputable e-mental health resources among young people. This is achieved by developing peer support networks, supported by e-mental health resources including the triage website, http://www.yshareit.com. Young people involved in the evaluation of the project described in this paper…

Adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) frequently experience social isolation and vocational failure. Although social skills groups are vital, relatively few model programs have been developed for this age group. This article reviews the model and evaluation of the Aspirations program, an 8-week social and vocational…

This issue of "Focal Point" explores some of what is known and unknown about strengthening social support. This introduction outlines some of the major concepts and themes in research on social support, and some implications of this research for interventions in children's mental health. This sets the stage for the rest of the issue, which…

This paper describes the Peer Outreach Service Team (POST), a peer multi-service, student support system organization operating in the Fort Lee schools in Fort Lee, New Jersey. The goals of the POST program are described as reducing numbers of school dropouts as well as levels of negative behavior, chemical dependency, teenage depression, and…

Children at Risk (CAR) was a drug and delinquency prevention program for high-risk adolescents aged 11 to 13 years who lived in narrowly defined, severely distressed neighborhoods in: Austin, Texas; Bridgeport, Connecticut; Memphis, Tennessee; Savannah, Georgia; and Seattle, Washington. CAR delivered integrated services to the 338 young…