Peer Buddy
The College has a support system in place to create a stronger student community at Warnborough. Initiated on 1st of May 2002, each new graduate student is allocated a peer buddy. A peer buddy can be a current or former Warnborough student who has experienced the research process and can provide peer support to the new student.
For anyone starting in a research program, let alone a distance learning one, things can get very lonely. Because you’re not working in a classroom with other people doing the same thing, it can become very frustrating having no one to turn to. The buddy system hopes to alleviate some of this frustration by putting new students in contact with a student who has been through the experience and who is willing to share time and ideas as to how to cope.
Any Warnborough student doing research can be a peer buddy, provided the student has completed at least half of his/her own research program. Graduates may still volunteer to act as buddies after they have completed their programs.
This is good for students who like to help others get used to being on a research program, by offering support and advice on how to cope (eg. with family and career pressures) based on their own personal experiences.
This is also a good stepping stone and experience for those students who wish to mentor for Warnborough at a later stage.
Each peer buddy will be provided with the name and contact details of an assigned student(s). The buddy will then contact the student directly either via telephone, fax or e-mail and introduce him/herself. By establishing a dialogue with the student, a good working relationship can be established. Buddies are also required to write one short informal report at the beginning of the buddy period, and one at the end about their experiences during the process and their interactions with the student.These reports will not affect the student’s work, grades or award. They will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the peer buddy program and how it can be improved.
Warnborough cannot provide payment for expenses incurred whilst being a peer buddy at this stage. Being a young institution, we need to depend on goodwill and your belief in our philosophy and principles. If you feel strongly about helping us establish ourselves as one of the foremost cutting edge and daring institutions, please support us by becoming a peer buddy.
