Buddy Volunteer

The UUSU Buddy support team will pair two buddy members with each other and then match them with a buddy volunteer. We’ll try and match students with similar interests, courses of study and living arrangements so you have plenty in common with each other. Once buddy members and volunteers are matched, the aim is that you’ll all develop a buddy friendship which will help members settle into life at UU. The UUSU support team will be on hand for support along the way.

Buddy volunteers will be returning students. You will have at least one year of experience at Ulster under your belt. You will help new students settle into life at Ulster by sharing your knowledge and experience! You’ll get training from UUSU and we’ll be here if there are any queries or situations which you need help with. We’ll ask you a few questions to help us match you to someone with similar interests or circumstances.

Complete this form to volunteer

Buddy members will mostly be new students but everyone is welcome to join. We’ll ask you to answer a few questions which will help us get to know a little about you and your interests. The Buddy support Team will pair you up with another buddy member before introducing you both to your buddy volunteer!

You can arrange online chats or a meet up over coffee and there will be events for you to come along to together during freshers week so you can meet other students as well.

Complete this form to find a buddy

Buddies will spend time together chatting or meeting up in the first weeks of the semester mostly. You can spend as little as an hour or two a week with each other. There are no hard and fast rules – your buddy relationship should work for all of you.

The scheme is really informal – buddies can choose to spend time together however they wish! You can meet up for a campus walkabout, go to UUSU freshers events together, try out a sport activity, grab a coffee or just hang out either in person or online. It’s completely your choice! New students will have lots of questions about uni life so your relationship might just be a series of questions and answers!

Drop a message to welcometeam@uusu.org and a member of the buddy support team will get back to you.