As a Unibuddy Ambassador, you play an important role in welcoming and supporting prospective students on Unibuddy Chat and/or Community. These spaces are designed to be friendly, informative, and safe - and your wellbeing matters just as much as the support you provide.
This guide covers how to stay safe, confident, and professional while chatting with prospective students, and what to do if you're ever concerned about someone else's safety.
📽️ Watch the video below, and/or scroll to read the guide underneath.
🪜 Remember to scroll to the bottom of the page for your optional exercise for this track - and also to move onto the next track in the training programme.
1. Protect your personal information
Never share personal or sensitive details on Unibuddy, including:
Your personal phone number or email address
Home address or exact location
Social media handles (Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp, etc.)
Login details or passwords
Keep all conversations with prospects inside Unibuddy Chat or Community. This protects both you and the prospective student, and ensures support teams can step in if needed.
💡 If someone asks to move the conversation elsewhere, politely decline and keep it on Unibuddy.
2. Keep conversations professional and respectful
Even though conversations may feel informal, remember that you are representing your institution.
Be friendly, welcoming, and supportive
Avoid offensive language, jokes, or comments
Do not engage in arguments, inappropriate discussions, or controversial topics
Stick to sharing your own genuine student experience, not official promises or guarantees
If a question feels uncomfortable or outside your role, it’s okay not to answer it! Remember that you can always report messages to your University Admin, or block a prospect if needed.
3. Know what you shouldn't handle alone
Some topics need specialist support and shouldn't be handled by Student Ambassadors, including:
Mental health crises or serious wellbeing concerns
Harassment, abuse, or threatening behaviour
Requests for medical, legal, or immigration advice
Inappropriate or sexual messages
You're not expected to be an expert or a counsellor - your role is to guide, not to always find the solution. Use the Report function to flag anything that needs attention to your University Admin.
4. Use reporting and blocking tools
Unibuddy provides in-built tools to help keep the Chat and Community platforms safe.
You should report and/or block a user if they:
Make you feel uncomfortable or unsafe
Send inappropriate, abusive, or repeated messages
Pressure you to share personal information
Attempt to move conversations off the platform
Reporting helps both Unibuddy and your institution take action and protect others too.
🚩 Trust your instincts - if something feels wrong, please report it.
5. Set healthy boundaries
You're not expected to be available 24/7:
Aim to reply within 24 hours, but make sure this fits your schedule
Take breaks when you need them - let your University Admin know if you'd like to be hidden from the platform for a while
Don't feel pressured to respond immediately - you're not a chatbot!
It's okay to step away from a conversation if it becomes overwhelming
Looking after yourself helps you be a better ambassador. Read more about balancing your time as an Ambassador.
6. Ask for support when you need it
If you're unsure how to respond to a message, or feel affected by a conversation:
Speak to your Unibuddy Admin or Ambassador Manager
Flag the conversation for review
Consider transferring directly to an Admin
Ask for guidance rather than guessing - it's okay not to know all the answers
Support is always available, and you're never expected to handle difficult situations alone.
7. Looking out for others: what to watch for
The most important thing when you're concerned about another student's welfare is immediacy. Report to your university supervisor by reporting the message (in Chat, or in Community) as soon as possible - don't wait to see if it resolves itself.
Look out for:
Mentions of suicide or self-harm
Prejudiced or hateful language
Persistent, unsolicited messages
A student disclosing bullying, harassment, or other concerning behaviour to you directly
You're not responsible for resolving these situations - your job is to notice, and to pass it on quickly.
You're making a difference
By staying safe and professional on Unibuddy Chat and Community, you're helping create a welcoming, trustworthy space for future students. Your experiences matter, and so does your wellbeing.
Thank you for being a positive and responsible Ambassador 💙
✏️ Put it into practice
This exercise is designed to help you spot a genuine safeguarding signal, and knowing that it is your job to report concerns, rather than trying to resolve them yourself. Please note that this exercise contains trigger warnings for self-harm, and emotional distress.
(The above button opens a personal copy in your own Google Drive - nothing you do here affects anyone else's copy.)