Hi, my name is Ricky, and in this blog, I want to share my experience as a Peer-Assisted Leader (PAL).
The PAL program is made up of several workshops throughout the year, each with different themes and topics. It’s designed to help first-year students transition to university life by learning from the experiences of final-year students.
The Experience
The PAL program definitely has its challenges, especially when it comes to managing the workload. Our team had to gather insights and experiences from 17 students and then condense all that information into something concise and easy for others to learn.
Peer Leaders meet weekly to plan and develop various workshop themes, which they then deliver to first-year students.
Overall, the experience was incredibly rewarding, fun, and beneficial. Through this program, I developed valuable skills such as leadership and communication, thanks to the many opportunities given to Peer Leaders to experiment with new ideas and create engaging content for first-year students. Helping these students by sharing my experiences has been truly fulfilling. The weekly meetings not only allowed me to relieve some of the stress from my final year but also provided an immersive and interactive environment. Collaborating with like-minded peers who were also navigating the challenges of their final year was both encouraging and supportive, reminding me that we were all in it together.
During this program, I also enahanced my presentation and problem-solving skills, learning to deliver messages concisely while providing real value. This experience pushed me to improve my work and set higher standards for myself. It also played a significant role in my professional development, allowing me to hone skills like digital fluency, independent thinking, and creativity abilities, all of which I can now apply in my future career.
Participating in the PAL program has been the highlight of my final year at UCC. I had the chance to collaborate with peers from different courses, which brought a unique dynamic to the program. Together, we contributed to the ideation process and developed relatable, easy-to-understand content for first-year students, all under the guidance of our program coordinator, Maria Coakley.
Pal Leader Experience
Recenlty with spoke with Pal Leaders and 1st year students on their experience on the program. Check out how they got on in the videos below.