A MENTORING programme that trains secondary school students in Dorset to support younger peers is being showcased nationally today.

Peer 2 Peer, developed by the Dorchester-based charity Relate Dorset and South Wiltshire, trains older students to provide one-to-one advice and support for younger pupils.

The idea is youngsters would find it easier to talk to fellow students than parents or teachers, about problems such as low self-esteem, anger, bullying, coping with homework and family problems that may affect their well-being at home and at school.

The mentoring programme also helps young students with the move from a smaller primary school to a large, bustling secondary school by giving them someone to turn to.

A DVD illustrating the scheme is being shown to 200 delegates at the annual conference of the national Relate organisation in Oxford today.

It forms part of the 70th anniversary celebrations of Relate, which offers relationship counselling, sex therapy and mediation among other services.

The Dorset scheme is one of several different projects filmed to illustrate the diversity of Relate's services across the country.

Local filming took place at Relate's Dorchester office and features students who have been trained as Peer 2 Peer mentors.

Around 500 young mentors have been trained in 14 secondary schools, including the Purbeck School, Wareham, All Saints in Weymouth, Beaminster Technology College, The Gryphon School at Sherborne, Wey Valley School in Weymouth and Woodroffe School at Lyme Regis.

Peer 2 Peer has also been expanded into one higher education college, two drop-in centres and other youth settings.

Kim Evans, a Relate counsellor who specialises in training the mentors with her colleague Maggie Duarte, said: "The training helps the young people to develop communication skills and gives them an introduction to counselling.

"The schools find it invaluable.

"Mentors aim to befriend the young pupil they are supporting and give them the opportunity to find their own answers and explore the options they have to tackle their problems.

"That is important for their self-esteem and self-confidence."

She added: "The young people do not have to be academically bright to become a mentor, just emotionally intelligent."

Funding for Relate's Peer 2 Peer development is by Connexions. Schools themselves pay for their students to be trained.

Schools wishing to find out more can call Relate on 01305 268686.