The buddy system- striving to help everyone!
Last August 21st , students from 7th to 12th grade gathered together in a meeting led by Dixie Waigel, Deputy Secretary General of Admins, and Ines Quihillalt, Chief Administrative Officer of Admins, of the 25th annual PANAMUN conference focusing primarily on the induction of a ‘buddy system’. This is a course designed for the purpose of allowing grade 7 admins to feel more comfortable and providing them with a larger role.
For those who aren’t aware, being an admin for PANAMUN is more than just a title- it requires dedication, hard work and masses of commitment. It definitely isn’t for the faint of heart, and with the understanding that students in lower grades may struggle to cope with the workload that comes with the position. As Ines Quihillalt said when questioned on the purpose of the system “This system will enable the younger students to express themselves and share their ideas”. This not only allows them to integrate with substantial ease into a job they would likely lack confidence in, but prepares them for the upcoming mountains they have to climb by gaining insight from seasoned veterans of the admin field.
But this is not to say students in older years are forced into doing this without gaining anything from it- in PANAMUN, the unit of admins is a family, and, like a circuit, depend on each other to ensure that the system is functioning as it is meant to. No matter the grade level, all students carry equal importance, and the buddy system helps older students gain experience they have as of yet not been rewarded with. It’s a chance for them to familiarise themselves with leadership qualities that are bound to help them later on in life.
Students in year 7 will also get the chance to carry out tasks like this later on as they progress through the years- they are the future and future is the foundation of the principles of PANAMUN. It’s about bringing a fresh, new view to world topics, about bringing youthful perspective to things that happen all around us.
Many of us have been in the position they will be in this year, and the Admin team’s goal is to helps hone and shape the skills of younger students in unimaginable ways.
We are excited to watch as the buddy system unfolds itself, and really, the only fault we can raise with it is the fact that it wasn't implemented sooner.
