Editing Buddy Club

{{SCA}}Buddy Club is an opt-in service within the [[SCA:Signal_Cartel_Academy|Signal Cartel Academy]] that pairs new Signal Cartel members with more seasoned Signaleers (a Buddy) during their early days of corp membership.  Buddies are a friendly point of contact that provide help and guidance as New Members adjust to life as a Signaleer in EVE Online.

== Purpose == 
EVE Online has a notoriously [https://i.imgur.com/jj16ThL.jpg steep learning curve]. In addition, Signal Cartel plays EVE on [[Credo_FAQ|Hard Mode]] because of our strict adherence to [[Policy:The_Credo|The Credo]]. Buddy Club aims to help New Members overcome these barriers to entry and smooth out the learning curve to make becoming a Signaleer easier and more enjoyable.  Therefore, Buddy Club benefits all new Signal Cartel members regardless of whether they are completely new to EVE or a veteran pilot of New Eden.

=== How Can a Buddy Help You? ===
A Buddy can:
* Introduce you to Signal Cartel's unique corp culture
* Act as friendly point-of-contact to help answer questions
* Offer advice and guidance about exploration and EVE Online
* Provide support and encouragement when needed

== How Do I Request a Buddy? ==
* Please request a Buddy using the ''/buddy'' command in any of our Discord channels. This will open a form that you simply fill out and submit to start your Buddy request. 
* New Members are assigned Buddies by the [[#Club_Officers|Assistant Manager for Matchmaking]] based on best fit including language and time zone considerations. After approximately 48 hours, you will receive a DM from Allison indicating who your new Buddy is and your Buddy will contact you on Discord.

== How Long Does Buddy Club Last? ==
New Members are paired with their assigned Buddy for '''one month'''.  After 30 days, the official pairing ends, but it is hoped that the Buddy Club bond will endure long after.    

== How Do I Communicate With My Buddy? ==
* [[Orientation_Guide_-_First_Week#Set_Up_Discord|Discord]] is the preferred communication platform.  
* Please be aware and respectful of your Buddy's time and availability for chat.

== What Are the Negatives to Participating in Buddy Club? ==
There are no negatives!  By participating in Buddy Club, New Members are not restricted or limited from any corp activities.  Buddies are there to help you learn and succeed as a Signaleer.  A Buddy is not your superior nor your supervisor.

== Buddy Club Roles ==
=== New Member ===
A New Member (NM) is a fresh-faced Signaleer ready to explore all that Signal Cartel and New Eden has to offer.  Buddy Club exists to serve New Members by helping and supporting them during their early days of corp membership by pairing them with an experienced Buddy.

=== Buddy ===
A Buddy is an experienced Signaleer who partners for '''one month''' with a New Member and provides general guidance to the New Member.

Every New Member Buddy request is posted by the [[#Club_Officers|Assistant Manager for Matchmaking]] in our <code>#buddy-club</code> Discord channel, and a Buddy is free to accept or reject it.  Once the assignment is accepted, the Buddy contacts the New Member and introduces themselves. An assignment is limited to one month during which the Buddy should make themselves available during their chosen activity hours for communication with the New Member. The Buddy is expected to answer questions and provide advice on Signal Cartel corporate matters and, depending on experience, on EVE Online gameplay. If the requested information is available in Signal Cartel's online resources, like this wiki or on the forums, then the Buddy may provide relevant references.

It is understood that Buddies may not be available at designated time slots due to real life matters. As usual, such matters are given priority over any in-game commitments. Buddies are expected to inform the [[#Club_Officers|Manager]] and their assigned New Members of any unavailability, except in emergency situations.

Buddies are also highly encouraged to actively participate in our Discord channel <code>#buddy-club</code>, which aims to provide updates, coordinated support, and encouragement for all Buddies.

==== What Are the Requirements to Become a Buddy? ====
* [[Policy:Corp_Admin_Info_and_Policies#Member_Levels:_C1.2FC2_Titles|C2 membership level]]
* Six months in Signal Cartel (cumulative)
* A willingness to help our New Members 
* A positive attitude doesn't hurt either.

==== How Do I Become a Buddy? ====
# Meet (or exceed) the requirements noted above.
# Contact the Club's [[#Club_Officers|Manager]] either through Discord or EVEmail.  This is currently [https://evewho.com/character/2115100793 Drer Aideron].  
# A sign up sheet will then be sent via Discord to the prospective Buddy requesting the following information:
#* Days of the week and hours in the day when they are available for communication with New Members.
#* Time zone.
#* Spoken languages.
#* Maximal number of New Members they can support at a time.
# Still not convinced? Then watch [https://forums.eve-scout.com/topic/9530/teeny-weeny-problem this].

=== Club Officers ===
There are two officer roles: Manager and Assistant Manager for Matchmaking. They are chosen from the members of the Club for a fixed period of time. Each officer has specific responsibilities but is also expected to be available as a Buddy.

==== Manager ====
The Manager is responsible for the Club's overall operation. The Manager must ensure that the Club members are engaged, seek feedback from both Buddies and their assigned New Members, and drive changes that will improve the quality of their Buddy Club experience.  They are also expected to advocate, advertise, and actively recruit new Buddies for the Club to ensure that the number of Buddies available in each popular time zone is adequate to provide quality service to our New Members.

The Manager must maintain an up-to-date list of current Buddies in a shared document.

==== Assistant Manager for Matchmaking ====
The Assistant Manager for Matchmaking is responsible for pairing New Members with Buddies.  The Assistant Manager for Matchmaking is also affectionately called "The Matchmaker". 

The current New Member-Buddy pairing procedure is this:
* After receiving a request for a Buddy from a New Member, the Assistant Manager for Matchmaking will post in the <code>#buddy-club</code> Discord channel a "New Member Buddy Request" with the relevant details regarding that New Member.
* Club members will then have a 48-hour window to volunteer to be the New Member's Buddy.  (This window gives everyone a chance to see the post regardless of their schedule/time zone.)
** If after 48 hours, there are multiple Buddies that volunteer for a given assignment, the Matchmaker will randomly assign the New Member to one of these Buddies.
** However, the Matchmaker has ultimate discretion and can "tilt the scales" a little based on the current # of Buddy/New Member pairings and language/time zone considerations.
* The Assistant Manager for Matchmaking will then post the New Member-Buddy pairing in the <code>#buddy-club</code> Discord channel.
* Lastly, the Assistant Manager for Matchmaking informs the New Member of their assigned Buddy via in-game EVEmail with relevant instructions/expectations.

In cases when a Buddy becomes unavailable for an extended period of time, the Assistant Manager for Matchmaking is responsible for finding a suitable replacement Buddy.

They must also maintain an up-to-date list of the current New Member-Buddy pairings in a shared document and track the duration of the one-month assignments.

== Roster ==

=== Officers ===
* Manager - [https://evewho.com/character/2115100793 Drer Aideron] (Co-founder of Buddy Club)
* Assistant Manager for Matchmaking - [https://evewho.com/character/2112943987 Frisk Understair]

=== Current Buddies ===
As of 1-8-23:
* Vega Blazar (Co-founder of Buddy Club, former Manager)
* Henrique Arnolles
* SuperTomy
* ABe Seekeris
* Sir Fiddle Sticks
* Nac Audene
* Roger Larkan
* Mika Dex
* Lexington Braddock
* Siaki Siakira
* Frisk Understair
* Ben Kalkoken
* Thor Miasmic
* Amelia Nightingale
* Bon G0
* Kaia Starchaser
* Tekufah

=== Buddies Emeriti ===
* Vladimir Korff (Co-founder of Buddy Club)
* Axar Tiberius
* Jen Hoshi