Buddy Program Enrollment

What does it mean to be a Buddy?

Serving as a buddy is voluntary and flexible. The goal is to help a new survivor feel less alone as they enter a new stage of recovery. As a buddy, you offer peer support through lived experience, not advice or directives. You will:

• Embody compassion, patience, non-judgment, respect for differences in recovery paths, consistent low-pressure support, confidentiality.
• Share personal insights when helpful, focusing on their personal experience rather than giving instructions.
• Discuss common challenges new survivors face, like fatigue, cognitive overload, frustration, pacing, emotional adjustment, etc.
• Encourage new survivors to attend support group meetings without pressuring participation.
• Guide new survivors in understanding and using Slack.  

What’s expected of a Buddy?

Getting Started

After we pair you with a new survivor, please:

• Send a warm hello: Reach out within 48–72 hours of receiving your match.
• Break the ice: Keep it simple—share a bit about yourself, how long you’ve been with CoR, and what the survivor can expect from this connection

Weekly Check-In

After introductions, you will reach out once per week with a brief check-in. This can be via Slack, text, or email, depending on the survivor’s preference. Some questions to ask are:

• How is your week going?
• Did you have any challenges this week that you would like to talk about?

Other Communication

If you are unavailable for a certain period of time, courteously notify the new survivor as soon as possible. If the new survivor has questions outside of your planned weekly check-in, please respond within 48 hours as possible.

Beyond the Check-Ins

After the initial few months, communication might naturally decrease or continue informally based on mutual comfort.

What is NOT part of being a Buddy?

As a Buddy, please avoid:

• Providing legal or medical advice, treatment recommendations, or health interpretations
• Offering crisis intervention or emergency support
• Being available 24/7
• Replacing family, caregivers, clinical providers, or therapists
• Solving complex personal, medical, or logistical issues

If your matched survivor asks for medical, legal, or clinical advice, please gently redirect them to their professional care team.

Notify Circle of Rights immediately if:

• The new survivor buddy expresses feelings of hopelessness, distress, or self-harm.
• You are unsure how to respond to a question or situation.
• The communication feels overwhelming or if you can’t get through to the new survivor after repeated attempts (no shows or not responding).
• You are no longer able to continue serving as a buddy.

How long does the Buddy pairing last?

We suggest an initial focus period of four months for our Buddy pairings, but the personal connection you build belongs to you—feel free to keep in touch as long as you’d both like.

A pairing may end early (before four months) if:

• You are not able to continue
• Communication remains unsuccessful after repeated attempts
• The new survivor requests a different Buddy

Contact CoR leadership to discuss ending or reassigning a pairing early (if before four months).