Appendix 6

Appendix 6 

Buddy Role Guidance

Process

In Summer, second year trainees will be allocated a trainee about to start the course as their ‘buddy’. Second year trainees should make initial contact to introduce themselves and arrange an initial meeting.

There are lots of different support avenues on the course (buddies, personal mentors, peer supervision, personal/academic tutors, clinical tutors) so trainees may choose how much they wish to use the buddy system, as we all are different and have different needs. The minimum expectation is that trainees will check in with their buddy in the year below once per term (this can be via any means including a message/email and there is no expectation to meet once per term). Trainees can seek out support from their buddy as and when they need it, and do not need to wait to hear from their buddy to get in touch. It can be helpful to contact your buddy in a timely way so that plans for support can be made around other DClinpsy commitments. Every buddy pair is different. Once you get to know each other, how much or little support and time is needed can be negotiated within each buddy relationship accordingly.

While buddies can offer support, it is important to recognize that this is an informal relationship and not a formal support network. If trainees are struggling, formal support should be sought from the University.

Below is some guidance on what a buddy can and cannot offer:

What a buddy can offer

-Information about placements and signposting to trainees who have been on the same placement before if they wanted a chat to hear more before starting. 

- Conversations about living in Sheffield or commuting to Sheffield 

- Opportunities to reflect on placement experiences 

- Offer informal support with or opportunities to reflect on academic work if needed 

- Discuss work-life balance and balancing academic demands 

- Hold an open space to discuss how to access further support when difficulties arise on the course if needed, issues such as diversity, offer advice where appropriate and support PPD.

What a buddy is not for 

- Personal therapy – if a trainee feels they need more support than can be offered by a buddy or the University, then it is their responsibility to seek appropriate support such as personal therapy outside of the course. 

- Sending academic work – buddies can offer informal support with academic coursework such as meeting to talk through a piece of work or directing to appropriate helpful resources such as information on Blackboard. However, buddies should not be expected to send any of their work, as per the handbook, as this raises confidentiality issues and increases the risk of plagiarism whether intentional or not.