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Dear
D....
It's
great that you have enjoyed being a buddy and that you have
taken the trouble to tell us about it. I know that there are
lots of interesting things happening in schools in your part
of Scotland.
I
think that the way your school's buddy scheme has been organised
is interesting for a number of reasons. Firstly, it's being
going on for years, which shows that people must find it worthwhile:
things that don't work well tend to be quietly dropped. Secondly,
young people like you have enjoyed being members and believe
that it has helped to reduce levels of bullying and, thirdly,
it involves pupils who are very close in age. One of the reasons
that teachers often give for setting up peer support schemes
is because young people find it easier to talk to people of
their own age than to older people - but many buddy schemes
involve first year pupils being buddied by sixth years. There
is a big difference between being twelve and seventeen!
One
thing that seems a little sad is that you have to stop being
a buddy because you are going into the third year. I am sure
that you will have learned a lot by being a buddy and it seems
a shame that you won't be able to use your skills within a
formal buddy scheme, although I'm sure that you will continue
to use these skills informally.
With
thanks and best wishes,
Anti-Bullying
Network Adviser
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