i-Buddies existing students

Can you remember your first few weeks at DMU?

Every year DMU welcomes will hundreds of new international students on campus. If you are a good listener, reliable and like meeting new people, especially those from other cultures, then there could be an exciting and rewarding opportunity for you to volunteer as a DMU i-Buddy. The scheme matches new international arrivals with existing DMU students who will become their Buddy for their first term and help them settle in to life at DMU.

For the existing students who volunteer to become buddies - we hope that the scheme will also provide some interesting opportunities to experience another culture, to make some international friends and to introduce an overseas student to living and studying in the UK! We've been running i-Buddies since 2012 and lots of the students have volunteered to be buddies have told us that they enjoyed and benefitted from the experience.

Students who have been at DMU for at least one full term can apply to become Buddies. We welcome applications from both UK and international students.

What experience do I need?

You need:

• To have been a student at DMU for at least one full term
• Good knowledge of DMU and Leicester
• Good cultural awareness and interpersonal skills
• Enthusiasm and positive and friendly outlook
• Interest in other cultures

• Complete the i-Buddies application form – these details will help us to match you with a new international student
• Attend a training session – this is generally held in the week before the start of the new term.
• You will be matched with a new international student and keep in regular contact with them during their first term at DMU.

You can meet up or chat online with your Buddy – whatever suits you best. The i-Buddies team will also organise a number of events throughout the year for students involved in the scheme. The i-Buddies scheme runs for one term only, but many buddies become friends and choose to stay in contact when the scheme comes to an end.

There are many ways becoming an i-Buddy can benefit you:

• It's a great way to make new friends from all over the world
• Gain skills and experience for your CV
• Involvement in the i-Buddies scheme is shown on your HEAR report
• Volunteering experience is valued by employers
• Increase your self-confidence and cross-cultural awareness

"Joining the DMU i-buddy scheme was one of the things I wanted to do this year because it is a great way to help give something back to my university and to new students. It has been a really good experience and I got to meet some great people who I would not have met otherwise."
- Muaaz, India

""I wanted to socialise and interact with people from different cultures. I am from a different culture myself. I understand it can sometimes be difficult so I wanted to help ... I wish I’d done it earlier - I would have made more friends!"
- Gabriela, Romania

"It has been completely different to expectations – in a good way – I was expecting to meet and help a new arrival but I’ve ended up making some really good friends."
- Amy, Kenya

If you have any questions, or if you are interested in applying to be an i-Buddy please email us at i-buddies@dmu.ac.uk; we will keep your details on file and send out an application pack in the summer.