Evidence-based benefits of Autistic peer mentoring 

Peer mentoring involves sharing experiences, seeking advice, and goal setting with a non-judgemental and relatable mentor. It’s an evidence-based approach to supporting Autistic people, meaning that research shows that mentoring leads to positive outcomes for Autistic mentees (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,9).  

Benefits of Peer Mentoring for Autistic People

So, what are the evidence-based outcomes for Autistic people that have completed peer mentoring programs? Mentors can help mentees to feel empowered and more self-determined to work towards self-identified goals. Through the mentoring process, Autistic mentees can also effectively learn self-advocacy skills useful for their daily life. Mentoring programs are evidenced to lead to improved general wellbeing and contentment, social benefits, and skill development. Furthermore, affirming mentoring relationships can help foster a positive sense of Autistic identity and greater self-acceptance. 

Peer mentoring is not only beneficial in the personal lives of Autistic people; it can be beneficial in their work lives too. Research suggests that Autistic mentees show a range of professional benefits from participating in mentoring programs (3). For instance, employment-focused mentoring can help Autistic people with CV preparation, identifying suitable vacancies, drafting cover letters, completing job applications, and interview preparation (7). 

Mentoring support can also continue once employment is secured to help deal with any issues that may arise, such as navigating unwritten rules of the workplace, understanding the expectations of managers and colleagues, accessing reasonable adjustments (6), managing burnout, workload management strategies, and maintaining a work-life balance, to name a few. 

What Makes Peer Mentoring So Beneficial? 

Evidently, peer mentoring can have a range of benefits for Autistic people, in both their personal and professional lives. What is it about peer mentoring that makes it so impactful for Autistic mentees? 

Mentoring provides a safe space for Autistic people to openly explore their identities, feel heard and listened to, and break down the steps needed to achieve their goals. Compared to many approaches that attempt to support Autistic people, mentoring is also more versatile, individualised, and centred around the mentees’ own goals, viewpoints, and interests. When the right mentor is found, the mentoring process is empowering, validating, and accepting of Autistic perspectives. 

How to Find the Right Mentor 

The effectiveness of peer mentoring relies on seeking support from the right mentor. It is important to find a mentor that is relatable, accepting, and able to authentically connect or empathise with the mentee’s experiences. This is where Autistic-led mentoring really shines, whereby by the mentor and mentee are both Autistic. 

Autistic mentors share many common experiences with the people they support and can create a space where they feel accepted and understood. Any advice that the mentors provide will come from a lived experience perspective that validates and intuitively connects with Autistic experiences. Indeed, there is research to suggest that seeking support from someone who is Autistic themselves, is helpful because Autistic experiences are validated rather than dismissed (8). 

Research suggests that finding a mentor who takes a person-centred approach to mentoring is another important factor (1). A person-centred approach is when the mentor empathically encourages the mentee to share their experiences, listens without judgement, and empowers the mentee to come up with their own answers and decisions that fit for them. Taken altogether, finding a mentor who has Autistic lived experience empowers their mentees to find an authentic path forward for themselves is important.

Take Home Messages 

Peer mentoring for Autistic people is an evidence-based approach that can lead to increased wellbeing, learning of new skills, and enhanced employability for Autistic mentees. It is the flexible, individualised, and person-centred nature of mentoring that contributes to its efficacy. To get the most of out of a mentoring relationship, it is important to find the right mentor. Autistic people can benefit from seeking out fellow Autistic peers to mentor them, to enhance connection, relatability, and empowerment from the Autistic perspective. 

Reach out to us today to see if we have a peer mentor who is the right fit for you.

References

1. Martin et al. (2017). Does Mentoring Offer Effective Support to Autistic Adults? A Mixed Methods Pilot Study. Viewable at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320403286_Does_’mentoring’_offer_effective_support_to_autistic_adults_A_mixed_methods_pilot_study

2. Siew et al. (2017). A Specialist Peer Mentoring Program for University Students on the Autism Spectrum: A pilot study. Viewable at: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0180854

3. Trevison. (2021). Evaluation of a Peer Mentorship Program for Autistic College Students. Viewable at: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/aut.2019.0087

4. Morris & Matta. (2022). A Scoping Review of Peer Mentoring Programs. Viewable at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-022-00325-7

5. Autistic Women’s Network. (2010). E-mentoring. Viewable at: https://awnnetwork.org/autism-womens-network-e-mentoring/  

6. I Can Network. (2020). Why Autistic Led Mentoring Matters. Viewable at: https://icannetwork.online/2020/08/12/why-autistic-led-mentoring-matters/

7. Autism Forward. (2017). Mentoring. Viewable at: http://www.autismforward.org.uk/mentoring/

8. Adams. (2022). Mental Health: Perspectives from 200 Autistic People and Non-binary People. Viewable at: https://www.findingautism.com.au/blog/ujs79u9vm1hi3mrv8mkq2lg9nwo9t2

9. National Autism Center. (2015). Evidence-based practice and autism in the schools (2nd ed.).

Article written by our highly talented researcher and writer Amy Adams.