We need your help to extend a huge virtual welcome to all our new PGR students! Can you help as a volunteer?
Last year we launched the PGR Buddy Scheme to provide additional peer to peer support for new PGR students who may never have been to York (or the UK) and who may feel even more distanced than the rest of us at this time. The feedback on the Buddy Scheme has been overwhelmingly positive from both volunteers and new PGR students, here’s some reflections from our Buddies last year:
“It’s great to be a point of contact and friendly face for someone who may feel worried, lonely or a bit overwhelmed at the start of a PhD. My buddee and I have become good friends so the scheme is beneficial on both sides.”
[What have you learnt from being a PGR buddy?] “How to become a better educator overall, learning how to guide without being forceful, becoming a better mentor.”
“For those who feel that doing a PhD degree is a lonely journey, participating in this program will give them a chance to meet other people, not only to make friends, but also to gain a sense of satisfaction while helping others.”
In being a Buddy you will be making a really valuable contribution towards welcoming new students to the University and the department. In addition to positively impacting your wellbeing, involvement in such peer-support activity will help you demonstrate a range of extremely desirable transferable skills, including leadership, citizenship and collaboration.
For further information about the scheme please visit Mentoring and buddying schemes web page or email rett@york.ac.uk.
Sign up now
- If you are willing and able to become a PGR Buddy for a first year please sign up via this Google Expression of Interest Form.
- If additionally, you would be willing to prepare a short, 90 second video on your phone describing your PhD experience, please contact rett@york.ac.uk with the headline ‘PGR welcome volunteer’ to receive further guidance and information.
- If you participated in the PGR Buddy Scheme last year and would be interested in writing a short piece for the YGRS blog about your experience please get in touch!
