DESCRIPTION AND METHODOLOGIES
The project aims to involve students in the team of buddies. The "Buddy" project started to offer support to refugee students, but it was also a great opportunity for the local students willing to join the programme as buddies.
Being a buddy, students can help their peers and this is a crucial factor. However, buddy students explain that they may receive more that they give from this experience. For instance, this is a great chance to develop teamwork and emphatic skills. Also, students have the opportunity to enlarge their networks and make cultural experiences. Besides, buddy students are often in their mobility and this means they are in a foreign country with possible linguistic issue. Joining the team, foreign students can easily find friends and fill their spare time with peers by conducting an important mission. The team of buddies is a multicultural crew that deals with multicultural issues.
RESULTS AND IMPACT
The involvement of students as buddies is so successful that there are more buddies than refugees. This is because the university is investing in the project and several professors and officers offer their time to the programme. In addition, students aim to enroll because they want to join a team and learn something while helping their peers. Lastly, successful buddies receive a certificate that validates their experience. As buddy students say "this is a good line in our CV!".
