Coaching as Connection: Enhancing Student Wellbeing, Belonging and Development Through Peer Coaching

Higher education institutions are increasingly challenged to support student mental health and wellbeing in ways that extend beyond traditional counselling and crisis interventions. Social connection, belonging, and access to preventative sources of support have emerged as important contributors to positive student outcomes and psychological wellbeing.

This presentation explores a global peer coaching initiative developed at Heriot-Watt University in collaboration with academic staff, the University Wellbeing Service, and the HW Coaching Lab. The programme trained MSc Business Psychology with Coaching students to deliver structured, supervised coaching conversations to undergraduate students seeking support with academic confidence, goal setting, time management, wellbeing, and future planning.

Drawing on participant feedback and programme evaluation, findings suggest that peer coaching contributed to enhanced self-confidence, increased feelings of belonging, greater motivation, and stronger engagement with academic challenges. Student coaches simultaneously reported improvements in coaching capability, reflective practice, communication skills, and professional identity development. These outcomes support growing evidence that peer coaching can enhance wellbeing while simultaneously strengthening learning, self-efficacy, and community building within higher education.

The paper argues that peer coaching represents a scalable and preventative wellbeing intervention that complements existing student support services by creating psychologically safe spaces for reflection, connection, and growth. Practical recommendations for implementation, supervision, and institutional adoption will be presented. As universities seek innovative approaches to student mental health, peer coaching offers a promising model that redefines wellbeing support through empowerment, mutual learning, and community engagement.
References
Campbell, A. L., & Mogashana, D. (2025). Assessing the effectiveness of academic coaching interventions for student success in higher education: A systematic review. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 62(4), 1325-1347.
Eriksen, M., Collins, S., Finocchio, B., & Oakley, J. (2020). Developing students' coaching ability through peer coaching. Journal of Management Education, 44(1), 9-38.
Short, E., Kinman, G., & Baker, S. (2020). Evaluating the impact of a peer coaching intervention on wellbeing among psychology undergraduate students. In Coaching Researched: A Coaching Psychology Reader (pp. 285-296).