SU Buddy Scheme
University life can be overwhelming for some students, and it isn’t always easy to meet people and make connections.
If you are someone who has joined university and perhaps hasn’t formed friendships within your accommodation or with others on your course, or if you’re looking to expand your social circle further by getting involved with a diversity of activities
with like-minded peers, the SU Buddy Scheme is for you!
What’s new with the SU Buddy Scheme?
This year, the SU Buddy Scheme has evolved so that students can meet and socialise with even more likeminded people through group activities and events, allowing students to establish a core group of friends that can share interests, introduce
one another to new hobbies, and help each other navigate life as a student.
The SU Buddy Scheme is designed to be very informal and is open to all students at the university. It is simply an opportunity to be introduced to others looking to form friendships, find peer-to-peer support, and have fun doing a range of activities
at the SU and in Plymouth!
There are two options for students after support:
The first option is 1-1 matching with a student. This means you will be paired with a trained, volunteer student who shares similar interests to you, who you can meet up with on campus for a coffee, explore the city, or attend activities
together!
To apply for a 1-1 volunteer SU Buddy, you will need to complete the form, adding as many details about you and your interests as you can (this is how to pair you with a student with shares interests!) and why you would like 1-1 support. Once
we have found a match, we will be in touch!
Please note, that we do have a limited number of volunteers and we try to match students who are most in need of 1-1 support as quickly as possible, but there is usually a waiting list. Whilst students are waiting to be paired with a volunteer,
they may wish to explore our SU Buddy Group Scheme to start meeting new people!
The second option is to sign up to be added into the SU Buddy Group Scheme. This means you will have access to a student Teams chat where you can chat to likeminded peers as well as access to a range of fun SU Buddy group activities at
the SU or in or Plymouth, arranged by SU staff. These events give you a chance to meet others who may also be finding it difficult to make friends at university, build an alliance, and provide the opportunity to socialise in an informal, welcoming
environment.
Applications are now closed for this academic year.
Sign up here to get involved!
Could you offer a student 1-1 support?
With our SU Buddy Scheme now offering new group activities, we envision that many students who have previously signed up to the scheme to get an SU Buddy will now attend the group social events instead. There will be, however, some students who
will prefer not to be in a group dynamic and will benefit from having someone who can provide them with 1-1 support instead. This might include meeting up for a coffee and a chat on campus or perhaps being the person who arrives with them
to social events to help them feel more comfortable.
So, if you are someone who is compassionate and can be a friend for someone who may be struggling to find connections at university, we would love to hear from you!
Once you have signed up to be an SU Buddy volunteer, we will be in touch to talk you through the next steps, including having a quick chat in person, sharing any training you will need to complete, and answering any questions you may have about
this role. Once these steps are complete, we will match you with a student based on your shared interests!
Applications are now closed for this academic year.
Sign up to become an SU Buddy volunteer!
Buddy Scheme Events
Further details
We have put together a handbook for the buddy scheme, giving more details on what it's about, how it's run, what you'll be involved with and other support available.
Buddy Scheme Overview Handbook
Info for buddy volunteers
- Volunteers must sign up on the form below. Please add as many details as you can about your interests, hobbies and reasons for volunteering! This is how we match you up with students, so we want to get to know you!
- All volunteers must complete the online training module before they can be paired up. Once this is complete, we will get in touch with you with the details of your student you’ll be supporting. You will get their name, email and a bit of info
about them. The student will get the same information about you, and you can then reach out to them.
- We have a soft/hot drink voucher to use in the SU, which you can collect from the Hive. These are here to support in that first meet up, so you can get you and your student a free drink.
- Throughout the year, we will send out feedback forms, to check in on how you’re doing, and see if you or your student need any support. Please make sure you fill these in, as they help us tailor the scheme to suit your needs!
- If you are struggling to get hold of your student for any reason, please get in touch. We will reach out directly and re-match you if they no longer require support.