Are you interested in meeting new, like-minded friends at university? Would you like to take part in fun activities and trips local to Plymouth with others who are also looking to make connections at uni?
If so, why not join our SU Buddy Scheme!?
Our SU Buddy Scheme is perfect for those of you who want to form friendships at university but perhaps haven’t found the right space and place to do so, or maybe you struggle with having confidence at first to put yourself out there or attend SU events alone. There is no shame if you haven't found your place or people here at university yet, sometimes it just so happens that the people you are placed with in your accommodation don't have the same interests as you and you may find it difficult to connect. But don't worry, there is plenty of time this academic year to find your circle within our student community!
So, what does the SU Buddy Scheme get up to?
So far this academic year, we have hosted group trips to the National Marine Aquarium, organised multiple SU Gym Buddy sessions, hosted plant-potting sessions in the sustainability hub, and we have loads of amazing group trips coming up, including ice skating at Central Park and we are planning an exciting trip to Dartmoor Zoo!
Plus, our wonderful volunteer Buddies have organised loads of 1-1 activities with students who may find it easier to start socialising with just one person to begin with. These activities are led by our trained buddies who have volunteered their time to help support students and be a friend during their time at university.
She has helped me overcome so much of fear and anxiety that I had with transitioning to a new country. And she's just fun to be around with. – International student who signed up and was matched with a 1-1 volunteer SU Buddy this year.
We are lucky enough to have lots of volunteer, trained Buddies this year who would love to help support any students who maybe haven’t bonded with their housemates or people on their course and would like to expand their social circle and receive peer-to-peer support! If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, we’d love to hear from you to find out more about you and what type of activities you’d like to do!
As a trained Buddy in the SU Buddy Scheme, I have had three buddies I was paired with overall with my time volunteering. I started off with one, and that was a massive success, and we spent time together a lot. I think he was just a little bit lost when he came to University, but now he has moved on and he’s got lots of friends and we still talk all the time and see each other, so we are genuinely friends still. – Joseph Drain, trained SU Buddy.
Find out more about the SU Buddy Scheme here, including our 1-1 Buddy Scheme and our SU Buddy Group Scheme. If you aren’t sure which scheme would be the best fit for you, please do get in touch with our SU staff members who run our Buddy Scheme, and they will be able to talk you through the options and guide you so you can make the right choice for you.
Get in touch: buddyscheme@su.plymouth.ac.uk
