Buddy Scheme Volunteer Handbook
2015-16 A
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Contents
Introduction 5 Buddy Scheme contacts 8 Buddy Scheme definitions
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You as a Buddy volunteer
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Your role 12 What we don’t expect from you
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How you will benefit from the scheme
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The process 16 Buddy events 18 What do you need to do?
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Useful contacts for Buddies and volunteers
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Welcome and thank you for volunteering to be a Buddy Starting at University can be daunting whether it’s leaving the family home, moving to a busy city like Brighton, or moving country altogether! Getting used to a new way of life is exciting but can leave some students feeling a bit isolated. That's why the Students’ Union started up the Buddy Scheme, which is a peer support scheme with many added social opportunities. The Buddy Scheme is run by the Students’ Union and helps incoming students settle into life at Sussex by matching them with current students (you!) who provide informal support by regularly meeting up and sharing their experiences and tips. The scheme offers the opportunity to make new friends from all walks of life and be a part of something that celebrates diversity in an informal, fun and sociable way. We believe that providing peer support to new students before their arrival and in their first few months is crucial to a quality student experience and your role will be really important in achieving this.
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We are here to help you in any way that we can, so please feel free to contact us with any questions or ideas. We are really glad that you have chosen to be a Buddy and hope that you enjoy your experience.
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Buddy Scheme Contacts Natalie Sacks Buddy Scheme Co-ordinator Natalie.s@sussexstudent.com
Jane Trueman Volunteer Support Assistant Jane.t@sussexstudent.com
We are based in the Activities Office, First Floor in Falmer House. Drop in and see us or send us an email to buddyscheme@ sussexstudent.com
The Buddy Scheme will: •
Help new students settle into University life
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Improve student interaction and integration
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Increase the access of practical information to new students
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Give students the opportunity to meet other students from different backgrounds
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Provide current and new students with sharing and learning partnerships
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Give tips and ideas on how to make the most of Sussex University and Brighton
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Help students make the most out of social opportunities run by the Union
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Buddy Volunteers are current students who have volunteered to be paired with a new student. You will be expected to make email contact with your buddy as soon as you have been matched and to meet with them on a regular basis to provide peer support and help them settle into life at University. Buddies are new students to the University of Sussex who have signed up to be matched with a Buddy Volunteer and to attend Buddy Scheme and Students’ Union events. UK, International, Postgraduate, mature students anyone who’s new to Sussex and wants to get involved in the scheme for support and socialising.
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We only require you to commit to attending the Buddy Scheme Conference and a minimum of 1 hour a week contact with your Buddy
You as a Buddy Volunteer: As students of the University of Sussex you are full of great tips and information for new students, but we don’t expect you to know everything! This handbook is designed to help you out. It contains contacts, advice and support so that you can help aid a smooth transition for the incoming students. This is an informal scheme so we only require you to commit to attending the Buddy Scheme Conference and a minimum of 1 hour a week contact with your Buddy/ies. We recommend that you meet weekly for the first month. The Buddy Scheme will be organising socials, trips and events for all Buddies and you are welcome to come with your own Buddies or on your own to meet others. It’s a great opportunity to get to know others in the scheme. There will be other exciting things to get involved with such as the Language Cafe and the Active US project - more about them later!
Remember: You don’t need to know everything! If you have any questions you can always contact the scheme coordinator at buddyscheme@sussexstudent.com or drop by for a quick chat. We can help you to refer people on to services that can help them- you are there to be a friendly face not an info hub.
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Your role:
How you will benefit from the scheme:
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Welcome your Buddies to the University of Sussex
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Signpost any services they may require and ask us if you’re not sure
Receive ongoing support from the Buddy Scheme Team including an information-giving conference where the expectations of your role will be set out as well as the provision of useful information
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Offer support and encouragement
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Excellent CV experience
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Maintain regular contact with your Buddies
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Improve your communication, interpersonal and organisational skills
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Help them find activities they may be interested in, such as Union sports and societies
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Meet new students from all kinds of different cultural backgrounds
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The opportunity to practise languages with a fluent speaker
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Respect confidentiality, unless you feel that your buddy is at risk to themselves or others
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The chance to try out a fun, new activity or sport
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Get involved in the events, trips and activities offered to you and encourage your buddy/ies to join in
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Lots of social opportunities and the chance to experience something new
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Exciting events and trips at subsidised prices and the opportunity to get involved yourself
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Find out more about how the Union runs and how student services on campus work
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Flexibility around how and when you choose to meet with your new student buddy
What we don’t expect from you: •
To pick up your Buddy from the airport
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Become best friends (but you might!)
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Solve their personal/social problems
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Put yourself in a situation where you feel uncomfortable
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Proofread their work or do any kind of academic support - there are mentors whose role this is.
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Be ‘on call’
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Offer money, skills, or an uncomfortable amount of time
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We try our best to match you based on the profile you created, but no promises! All Buddies are matched based on the information listed in your completed application form. We try our best to match you based on the listed criteria, but we can’t always accommodate everyone’s requests. Unless stated on your application form, you will be matched with a small group of new students depending on numbers and preferences. This will be a maximum of 3 new students per Buddy Volunteer.
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The Process:
Contact your buddy/ies by email as soon as you can. Introduce yourself, exchange contact details/ Facebook/ phone number (whatever you are comfortable with) and get to know each other before meeting up.
Arrange to meet up We recommend you meet up in a public place on campus for the first meeting. If you have a group of new students, discuss with them whether they would like to meet first in a group or individually. Choose a location that suits everyone.
Prepare for your meeting Put yourself in their situation, consider how they might be feeling – they may be having a bit of culture shock or homesickness. Think about... •
How you felt when you first came to Sussex
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What helped you to settle in and what you enjoyed doing
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What you love about Sussex and Brighton and the kinds of places/ activities you would recommend to your buddies
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Questions you want to ask them and the kinds of questions they might ask you
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Would they be interested in joining a sports club/society? Find out what they love to do and see if you can recommend anything.
Set expectations Your buddies need to acknowledge that you are studying too and have other commitments. Make it clear when you are available and when you are not.
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Buddy Events
What do you need to do?
There are a number of events organised throughout the term. These will continue throughout the year. You can come to these with your buddies, or independently with friends. Keep up to date via the website: www. buddyscheme.com
Attend events with your buddy/ies
Language Cafe The Language Cafe provides students with the opportunity to learn or practise a language in an informal, sociable setting with fun games and activities. The cafes are held weekly, organised in collaboration with the Sussex Centre for Language Studies and is hosted by Language Cafe Leaders. Why not take your buddy to the Language Cafe if you are both interested in language learning? The Language Cafe runs every Tuesday 5 - 7pm at Room 76 Email: languagecafe@sussexstudent.com Website: www.sussexlanguagecafe.co.uk
Keep an eye on the website/Facebook/emails/newsletter to find out what Buddy Scheme events are coming up. Continue to support your buddy for a minimum of an hour a week per buddy. This can be through meeting up, chatting online/phone, whatever suits you! Come and see your Supervisor - Jane Trueman Arrange a meeting with Jane or come to her drop in session every Tuesday from 2pm - 4pm in the Activties Centre, 1st Floor of Falmer House. We want to know how things are going, any problems, any ways in which we can help and support you, feedback and suggestions. We like to see you! Get in touch with Jane to arrange: jane.t@sussexstudent.com or 01273 678288
Active US “Active US” is a new and exciting collaborative project between Sussex Sport and the Students’ Union. The aim of “Active US” is to increase Sussex students’ regular participation in sport (at least 1 x 30 min per week) and to keep students engaged during their transition from school or college to university and throughout their time at university. The scheme will directly link in to the Buddy Scheme offering free or discounted activities and non competitive sport sessions exclusively to Buddies including free transport to venues and socials. To include: beach volleyball at Yellow Wave, mountain biking, discounted swimming sessions, football, the Bouldering centre at Portslade and regular activity taster sessions. Email: activeus@sussex.ac.uk Website: www.activeus.co.uk
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Useful contacts for buddies and volunteers
Support from the Students’ Union: The Student Voice Advocates The Student Voice Advocates at the Students’ Union are here to help with the following academic issues against the university and complaints: •
Appeals
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Academic Misconduct
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Disciplinaries
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Fitness to Practice Hearings
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Complaints against the University (academic and non-academic)
Contact advice@sussexstudent.com or 01273 87 7038 You can find them in Falmer House on the first floor, through the Common Room and in the office on the left at the end of the corridor.
Elected Officers Elected Officers are here to represent the views of the students, each one has responsibility for different areas of Union activity. President: Abraham Baldry president@sussexstudent.com Activities Officer: Lyndsay Burtonshaw activities@sussexstudent.com Undergraduate Education Officer: Bethan Hunt education@sussexstudent.com Postgraduate Education Officer: Rose Taylor pgeducation@sussexstudent.com Society & Citizenship Officer: Sarah Gibbons societycitizenship@sussexstudent.com
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Welfare Officer: Rianna Garguilo welfare@sussexstudent.com
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University services:
Housing Office
Student Life Centre
Deal with university managed accommodation both on and off campus. They also give some housing advice on private renting in Brighton. You can send a student there in the first instance if they have any problems with their housing. They also have a Tenancy Checking service.
Can sign post to all other relevant student services on campus, so are a good first point of contact for any student issue. •
They give information for all internal university processes such as fee payment and mitigating evidence
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Run the X-card scheme (which entitles people to free condoms) and offer sexual health advice and information.
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Issue Student bursaries and scholarships
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Drug and Alcohol drop in session
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Deal with student wellbeing eg. Homesickness
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Funding queries and problems with loan payments.
Website: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/studentlifecentre Email: studentlifecentre@sussex.ac.uk Phone: 01273 876767 Where to find them: Bramber House
Student Accounts If you have any queries about undergraduate, postgraduate or study abroad fees these are the people to talk to. They can also explain how to pay any fees or charges you might get such as library fines.
Website: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/residentialservices Email: housing@sussex.ac.uk Phone: 01273 678220 Where to find them: Bramber House
Student Support Unit Offer support to any student who has a disability. They offer tests for anyone who is not sure if they have a learning disability such as dyslexia. They also run study skills session on things like essay writing, note taking, revision etc. Website: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/studentsupport Email: studentsupport@sussex.ac.uk Phone: 01273 877466 Where to find them: Bramber House
International Student Support Office & Study Abroad Office
Website: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/finance/services/feesandincome studentaccounts Email: studentaccounts@sussex.ac.uk Phone: 0800 849 4979 Where to find them: Sussex House
Deal with specific issues that international students might have, such as immigration status and visas. They also put on a lot of good events and trips for international students. Additionally they are the place to send people who are thinking of taking a study abroad option.
Psychological & Counselling Services
Website: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/international Email: international@sussex.ac.uk / international.support@sussex.ac.uk Phone: 01273 678422 Where to find the Study Abroad Office: Friston building Where to find the International Student Support Office: Bramber House
Offer free counselling sessions to any student who needs them. Website: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/counselling Email: counsellingreception@sussex.ac.uk Phone: 01273 678156 24
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Careers and Employability Centre
Talking About Immigration
Help students with their CV’s and finding employment after they graduate.They run sessions on how to make yourself more employable and have information about jobs available for students while they study.
Anyone who provides immigration advice in the UK must be fully trained and authorised to do so. Only staff in the International Office are able to provide specialist immigration advice such as the immigration system, student visas, working in the UK during and after your studies, settlement and getting married in the UK.
Website: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/careers Email: careers@sussex.ac.uk Phone: 01273 678429 Where to find them: Ground floor of the Library, Jubilee Square.
Email immigration@sussex.ac.uk Tel: 01273 678422
Student Reps Your school or subject will have a student rep who you can inform of any issues you have with your course or module. Student Reps provide an essential link between students, the Union and the University. Student Reps are Undergraduate and Postgraduate students elected by Sussex students to represent the views and interests of students in their subject, department or school year. Reps find out about issues impacting on student’s studies and experience, and take this information informally to individual members of staff in the department, and can raise issues more formally at department, school, and university level committees in order to effect positive changes. Website: http://www.sussexstudent.com/student-reps
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