Helping Ourselves: Creating a Disabled Peer Mentorship Program at Western Washington University

The Disabled Peer Mentorship Program, through the Disability Outreach Center (DOC), will provide first year, transfer, and recently self-identified* or newly disabled, chronically ill, neurodivergent, Blind and low vision, d/Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing students at Western Washington University (WWU) with individual mentorship from upper-level disabled, chronically ill, neurodivergent, Blind and low vision, d/Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing peers to increase the retention, success, and wellness of mentees and develop mentors as leaders. This paper explores the necessity of such a program, how it was created, and its future plans.