A new era for Buddy Bergen

Denise is looking forward to meeting all the new buddies at semester start. Foto: Marianne H. Westerlund

From an activity day previous semester. Foto: Buddy Bergen

From a quiz night previous semester. Foto: Buddy Bergen

Buddy Bergen is in great demand. This more long-term mentor scheme starts once mentor week is over and the ordinary semester is underway. A Norwegian student is then paired off with an international student and they meet on a weekly basis for the following six weeks. Buddy Bergen organises various events during the course of the semester.

And now the scheme has really taken off. Since it got off the ground in 2008, it has grown every semester. Now they are expecting a record number to sign up this autumn. The enthusiastic people behind the scheme are starting to feel the consequences of the organisation having grown more than expected, and they are looking for more helpers to sign up this summer and autumn.

'If as many students as we expect join the scheme, those who register will have a great time but it’ll mean a lot of work for me and my deputy on our own,’ smiles Denise Flatmark. She is the new head of the Buddy scheme, after the last head, Hanna Leinebø Slaata, left to become a full-time student politician in the National Union of Students in Norway (NSU).
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Denise emphasises that she has full control and a plan for tackling the increased influx. The autumn programme is ready even before the summer holidays have started. But it will be a busy time nonetheless.
’I have been at the helm for four days and recognise that we need more people on the committee. At the moment, I’m both leader and treasurer, PR officer and responsible for sponsorship,' she laughs.
Up to 800 participants are expected to take part in Buddy Bergen’s mentor scheme.
’Six hundred students registered in the spring semester. There’ll be even more now, which is fantastic but means that we need able helpers and supporters to ensure that everything runs smoothly,' says Denise.

See photos of previous events in Buddy Bergen’s Facebook Group.

Denise mentions a number of reasons why being on the committee is very rewarding:
’It is very rewarding working on a concrete project like this, which we see is very important to many people's well-being. What we do makes a difference,' she says.
But it does not stop there. Because, according to the new leader, in addition to having fun and making new friends, those who participate gain experience in organisation and coordination, and what she calls people skills.
’I had so much fun the year I was treasurer. Now I’m hoping that my year as leader will be even more fun,’ she says with a smile.
She needs a treasurer, a PR officer, and people to be in charge of photos and sponsorship. Buddy also needs people to hang up posters, to be fire guards at concerts and to do various odd jobs at Buddy events.
’And both new Norwegian students and international students are welcome to come forward,’ she concludes before running off to her next meeting.

If you are interested in joining the Buddy scheme, please visit the Buddy Bergen webpage or contact Denise by e-mail: buddybergen@gmail.com