Â鶹Íø

More

i-Buddies existing students

In October, we are welcoming new international students onto campus. If you’re a good listener who likes meeting new people, join our rewarding i-Buddies volunteering scheme! 

i-Buddies matches new international arrivals with existing Â鶹Íø students. As a volunteer, you’ll use your experience of student life and interpersonal skills to build relationships with new students and help them settle into Â鶹Íø. 

The scheme only lasts for one term, but during this time you’ll get to make new friends and attend fun events – whilst gaining experience for your CV. Your volunteering will also be recorded on your Higher Education Achievement Record (HEAR), and might help to make you an attractive candidate to future employers.

How does it work? 

  • We ask volunteers and new students to complete a detailed application form so we can find out more about you ­-- including your course, age, hobbies and interests. We use this information to try and create groups of students who are compatible, but we hope you’ll also enjoy meeting students who are different from you too.
  • We aim to create buddy groups made of 2 volunteers and 4 new students, but numbers can vary so your group may be smaller.
  • We will let you know once we have matched you with new students (usually in Week 3 of Autumn term) and then you’ll be able to start chatting and arranging to meet up.
  • Throughout the term we will host free i-Buddies events, including on-campus activities and trips like bonfire night and ice skating. We will host these events once per month, but we encourage you to engage with your group at least once a week.
  • If you have remained engaged in the scheme throughout the term, you will be rewarded with recognition on your HEAR report. However, we hope you will also feel rewarded by making friends and helping new students.

How do I sign up? 

Complete our  to sign up as an i-Buddies volunteer. Please note, you must use your Â鶹Íø email address to access the form. 

Please email us at i-Buddies@dmu.ac.uk if you'd like more information.