Spirit of S2S

Vincent Mgbemena

This year, the Spirit of S2S Award goes to someone whose self-nomination sealed the deal. When staff first met him he seemed a little unsure of himself, but we have all had the privilege of watching him gain the confidence to show us all who he is and what he is capable of. He has been a phenomenal Peer Supporter, and a fantastic ambassador for the S2S service. He has brought people to the space in House 47 who would never otherwise have thought to come to us, and he has encouraged them to find their true voices. 

This year, he also took a role with the Counselling Service’s Student Advisory Board and has become an ambassador for the S2S service there as well. He speaks very thoughtfully and passionately about the role and value of the service, and doesn’t hesitate to let staff know when something needs to be worked on. The moment when he clapped back that “Peer Supporters know full well never to give advice” will go down in SAB history!

Volunteer of the Year

Alison Zobenko and Promise Okafor

We couldn’t separate out these two volunteers for Volunteer of the Year, because they seem to be, at times even when they don’t mean to be, inseparable. They sign-up independently for the same things and, even though they bring different and unique contributions to each space, their interests and capabilities align so well that it's impossible to recognise one over the other. From innovative meetups to their peer-leadership in Head Mentor meetings and their incredible social media design and creativity, these two are a force to be reckoned with. They have literally become the face of S2S, and are tireless in their commitment to the promotion and delivery of the S2S service. 

Peer Supporter of the Year

Emily-Faye Xantho

This year’s Peer Supporter of the Year is a volunteer who has been an incredible Mentor as well. She has persisted with group meetups and has had commendations for her warmth and personability. This has translated over to her Peer Support role, where she has demonstrated incredible compassion in her casework, and commitment to debriefs and to group supervisions. She is someone that her fellow volunteers would call on for support unhesitatingly, and someone who never fails to offer a shoulder to her peers. She also takes the time and space in debriefs for reflection and personal growth very seriously and has demonstrated remarkable resilience and self-compassion in this space. 

After her interview for the Peer Support role, Ralph wrote down “I think this student could deliver this training, never mind take it”. That impression has only grown over time. 

Head Mentor of the Year

Samantha Lopez and Emma Coyle

Our Head Mentors this year have exceeded all expectations. We’ve seen incredible meetups and heard some fantastic input and ideas at the monthly meetings. There were one pair of Head Mentors who stood out for their innovative ideas, their energy and their enthusiasm, and their persistence. S2S staff say it’s been a real pleasure to work with them from the very beginning. They brought sparks to the training room, and they just kept going from there. They are collaborative, they are engaging, and they are so much fun to be around. 

Mentor of the Year

Not pictured: Conor Quinn

Alex Martin and Conor Quinn

These two Mentors have shown true dedication and care for their S2S Mentor roles. They not only trained and successfully delivered on their role expectations, but they surpassed every expectation placed on them and embodied the purpose of the Mentoring programme. 

These two Mentors took on the role when they had never had Mentors of their own. Staff in S2S wondered how they were going to make sure they stayed in contact with the mentors, how to ensure they could access all the supports and resources they needed – but these Mentors did all the relationship building plus some, all off their own bat. They have been in House 47 at least once a week telling us what’s going on, what’s working and what’s not working, letting us know what they need. They’ve been at Head Mentor events; they’ve come to additional meetings. One of them even volunteered to deliver a presentation at an international conference about the value of Mentoring and upstaged us all in the best possible way.  

We’ve learned so much from them, and we’re so grateful for everything they’ve taught us this year.