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Make semester start safer for the students

Buddy patrollers (“faddervakter”) are meant to ensure that buddy volunteers (“faddere”) and new students experience a safe and good semester start at night-time. The buddy patrol scheme (“faddervaktordningen”) needs more employees, students and externals to join as buddy patrollers next Monday and Tuesday.

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(Photo) The buddy patrol scheme is looking to recruit more employees and students to serve as buddy patrollers during semester start on Monday and Tuesday.
The buddy patrol scheme is looking to recruit more employees and students to serve as buddy patrollers during semester start on Monday and Tuesday.

“It is incredibly rewarding and meaningful to be a buddy patroller. We would like to get more buddy patrollers”, Gro Hodne Gundersen says. She is project coordinator for the buddy patrol scheme at UiA. She says the feedback from happy and content students visiting her stand makes her job very rewarding.

“Last year a girl approached me and was really excited. She said that ‘if my mom had known you were here, she would have been so happy’. Such feedback makes my job very meaningful”, Hodne Gundersen says.

The scheme is looking to recruit more employees, students and externals as buddy patrollers. The need is greatest on Monday and Tuesday.

PHOTO of Gro Hodne Gundersen is project coordinator for the buddy patrol scheme.

Gro Hodne Gundersen is project coordinator for the buddy patrol scheme. 

Creating a safe space

This year is the sixth year the buddy patrol scheme has been run. New this year is that other educational providers in Kristiansand have been invited to join as buddy patrollers.

“The buddy patrol scheme is a cooperation between the University of Agder, the Student Welfare Organisation in Agder and the Student Organisation of Agder. This year we have also invited other educational providers in Kristiansand to join as buddy patrollers. To make themselves seen, all buddy patrollers wear yellow vests” Hodne Gundersen says.

In Kristiansand, the buddy patrollers will have a stand in Markens evening and night on Monday and Tuesday during the Semester Start Festival. The stand will be placed in one of the busiest areas, right between the clothes shop, Zara, and 7-Eleven. Here the students can get water and a snack as well as information about how to get home.

“We meet many people who don’t know their way around town. We tell them a little about the town and help them find a taxi or bus if necessary”, Hodne Gundersen says.

The buddy patrollers will also be present at the Pub Crawl in Kristiansand on Wednesday 21 August.

In Grimstad, the buddy patrollers will be present at Bluebox on Monday and Tuesday and in the centre of town on Sunday. They will also be present during Fadderfestivalen at Groos on Saturday 17 August.

(Photo) Volunteer employees and students hand out free water and snacks to students in Markens.

Volunteer employees and students hand out free water and snacks to students in Markens.

Schedule

Sign up to be a buddy patroller here. You can choose one or several shifts.

Kristiansand

Monday 12 August in the centre of Kristiansand 22:30-02:00,
Tuesday 13 August in the centre of Kristiansand 22:30-02:00,
Wednesday 21 August in the centre of Kristiansand (Pub Crawl) 17:30-23:00. 

Grimstad

Monday 12 August at Bluebox 10:00-12:30.
Monday 12 August at Bluebox 22:30-02:30.
Tuesday 13 August at Bluebox 22:30-02:30.
Wednesday 14 August in the centre of Grimstad 17:30 -22:00.
Wednesday 14 August in the centre of Grimstad 22:00 -03:00.
Saturday 17 August at Fadderfestivalen at Groos 15:30-18:00.
Saturday 17 August at Fadderfestivalen at Groos 18:00-20:00.
Saturday 17 August at Fadderfestivalen at Groos 20:00-22:00.