Buddy Program

On the Friends Entourage Wiki we like to make new users and individuals feel welcome, but a few individuals like to make new members feel welcome even further! First of all, what is the Buddy Program?

### **The Buddy Program**

Designed to foster a warm and inclusive community, our Buddy Program pairs experienced users with new members joining our entourage.

Buddies take on the role of friendly mentors, extending a warm welcome to newcomers through personalized messages on their message walls, answering questions, welcoming them and introducing them to the community. They serve as valuable resources, introducing new users to the various aspects of the wiki, acquainting them with its vibrant community, and providing assistance as needed. Our Buddy Program encourages meaningful connections, and ensuring that every new member feels supported, valued, and part of our close-knit community from the moment they join.

### **What is the job of a Buddy?**

The role of a Buddy is explained in a generalized statement above. However, here is a more specific and better-explained list of their duties.

* **To welcome new users on their walls:** Buddies are meant to effectively coordinate and keep an eye on when there is ever any new contributors to the wiki, and check their message walls to see if any other Buddies have welcomed them - if not, it's a Buddy's job to give that new user a welcoming message! Typically, this message may include the rules, editing guide, any important categories, and generally any resources to help the individual get associated with the wiki. ( Messaging a user on their wall counts as assigning yourself to a user. )

* **To assign themselves to a new member or have a new member assigned to them by a poweruser:** new users on the wiki may ask for help or another Buddy after the time they've been given by a Buddy has passed - Buddies should not be disheartened by this, as sometimes individuals simply feel that things can be better explained by a different person. Other than that and if a new user grabs their own Buddy by contacting them on their message wall, it is a Buddy's duty to assign themselves to a user.

* **To remain a Buddy to the users their assigned to for at least a week:** after a week, Buddies are permitted to unfollow their initial message to the user and inform them that their assignment is over - this, of course, can happen any time after a week, but giving the new member at least a week of your time is required.

* **To answer any questions the new wiki members they have been assigned to have:** Buddies are meant to answer any questions that these individuals have to the best of their ability - if a Buddy finds that they do not know the answer to the question, their job is to redirect their assigned user who is asking to a poweruser who can. Such questions could be ones about the rules, coding, reports, and other things that a Buddy does not know the answer to or cannot answer.

* **To keep track of their assignments on either their message wall greeting or userpage:** this can be done via using this template ( template in progress! )

### **How can I become a Buddy?**

You can become a Buddy fairly easily! You simply have to remain commonly active and helpful, as well as respectful, for at least a month; if you believe you can be a good Buddy after this timeframe, you can nominate yourself on a poweruser's message wall with a list of at least three qualifications you have to offer! If you're deemed suitable for the job, the poweruser will inform you that you're a buddy!

#### **Rate of Activity Key**

These are what the colors displayed by each Buddy's card means.

 green

 Active

This user is active daily or every other day, and responds to messages at a rate of at most within 2 days; they also commonly show activity in discussions or article edits.

 yellow

 Semi-Active

This user is active at least twice a week, they respond to messages whenever they're able to and show a semi-common rate of activity in discussions or article edits.

 orange

 Slightly Inactive/On Break

This user is either 1. on break and will not respond or 2. they're fairly inactive and busy, though they do their best to be online; they don't show common activity but they do respond to messages. Their card here will specify if they're on break or not.

 red

 Inactive/Not Responsive

This user has not been active for a long time and is most likely not going to be active again, and they're simply only being displayed for the sake of honoring the work they did for the wiki.

### **Current Buddies**

.uni.universal. ---- yellow

hey there, im uni, i go by she/xem pronouns, and i enjoy coding, as well as art and most especially, voltron, mha ( not the fandom ), demon slayer, and cyberpunk edgerunners; oh and men in black. feel free to talk to me about anything! ^^