As a Unibuddy Student 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 is just as important as the support you provide.
This guide outlines best practices to help you stay safe, confident, and professional while chatting with prospective students.
1. Protect your personal information
You should never share personal or sensitive details on Unibuddy, including:
Your personal phone number or email address
Home address or exact location
Social media handles (e.g. Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp)
Login details or passwords
Keep all conversations you have with prospects within 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 the conversation 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 so should not 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 are not expected to be an expert or counsellor. Your role is to guide, not solve everything. Use the Report function if you need to flag anything 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 are not expected to be available 24/7.
Best practice is to reply wihton 24 hours, but you should ensure 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 chat bot!
It’s okay to step away from a conversation if it becomes overwhelming
Looking after yourself helps you be a better ambassador. You can read more about balancing your time as an Ambassador here.
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. Remember: you’re making a difference
By staying safe and professional on Unibuddy Chat and Community, you're helping create a welcoming and trustworthy space for future students. Your experiences matter, and so does your wellbeing.
Thank you for being a positive and responsible Ambassador 💙