Buddy systems, or peer-to-peer frameworks, can be an effective way to encourage a culture of collaboration, interdependence, and support within staff teams.
By pairing a new or less experienced member of staff with a more experienced, established practitioner, or pairing colleagues with different experiences and expertise, there is the opportunity to reflect on current practice, share suggestions for strategies and techniques, and foster a coherent, joined-up approach to behaviour.
Tips for setting up a buddy system in your setting
1: Identify your ‘why’
Be clear about why you are setting up a system of peer-to-peer support and what you hope to achieve from it.
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- What are the potential benefits for staff?
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- How will it impact existing staff?
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- What support will it offer new staff?
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- What value can a buddy system add across your whole setting?
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- How will the individuals you support benefit as a result?
If you’re supporting new staff in an education setting download our 8-week behaviour support induction programme.
2: Select the appropriate members of staff
It’s really important to give due consideration to staff pairings, taking different personalities, professional development needs, career stages, capacity and so on into account.
Forging a strong relationship built on mutual trust and respect is central to the success of any peer-to-peer support framework, so it is vital to take the time to identify which buddy pairings would work best.
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