Buddy Scheme 📑

The idea of the buddy scheme is that UK-based trainees are paired up to support each other, providing those entering the profession with mentors who can guide them as they transition from university/academia/industry/elsewhere into the profession.

After you’ve been matched with a buddy, we recommend a short introductory call or coffee to discuss what you’d like to get out of the scheme. After the initial introduction, the buddy scheme can be used for any kind of support. In the past, it has been used to discuss training paths and working environments at different firms, exam preparation and revision, and managing workloads, feedback, and relationships with training principals. Generally, we hope that the mentor will provide a listening ear and be available to answer any questions the mentee might not want to ask people at their own firm (or to point them towards resources that may help).

If you would like to sign up to the buddy scheme (as a mentor or as a mentee), please fill in this form: https://forms.gle/j7G2hFzRHS2MTDJu7.  

We are especially keen to welcome new mentors with a background in Biology/Life Sciences and IT/Computer Science to the Buddy Scheme.

I will then be in contact to match you with a buddy from a different firm, ideally one who is based in the same region and who has the same specialism.

If you would like to sign up to the buddy scheme (as a mentor or as a mentee), please fill in this form: https://forms.gle/B4CHdfqVvrSug6K46.  

Alternatively, please feel free to contact Debora Dorn, Buddy Scheme Coordinator.

FAQ’s 💡

I already have an internal structure of mentoring at my firm, can I still join?
Buddies are more than welcome to sign up if they have an internal structure or system for mentoring within their firm. We encourage trainees in both in-house and private practice positions to sign up. There’s no need to worry about potentially taking up space on the scheme if you already feel well supported.

I didn’t sign up as soon as I joined the profession, is it too late to join?
It is possible to join the buddy scheme at any point, regardless of when you started your training.

Should I be a mentor or a mentee?
As a rough guide, we encourage trainees who have been part-qualified for over a year to sign up as mentors and trainees who have recently joined the profession or who have just become part-qualified to sign up as mentees. However, this is just a guide. Please feel free to use the system in a way that you feel would be most beneficial for you.