A Buddy bench or friendship seat can be a fantastic tool to help stop or prevent bullying and social isolation in schools. A Buddy bench or friendship seat needs to be in the right position to work perhaps under a tree or another shady spot for summer, or moved to a warmer spot in winter, but in full view of the playground or sporting facilities.
The position of the seat should be chosen so if a child is sitting there for any length of time they are likely to be noticed and they are still able to watch other children playing. If they start to feel better they may decide that they can join in. A Friendship Seat or Buddy Bench is a safe way for students to express that they feel lonely or upset or have no-one to play with. It can become an important part of play time at any school.
Staff can discuss the friendship seat with students in the context of the school vision and value to develop a shared understanding that it is a place students can sit when they don’t think have anyone to play with and do not feel good about that. A Friendship seat can play a significant role in students’ sense of belonging and connectedness to the school and their peers.
All students should understand that they can take an important buddy and leadership role to ensure that none of their peers are socially isolated during play times. Children pick up on the idea very quickly. One student said. “As a grade six student, if children go on the friendship seat, I will see who is lonely and I can invite them to play with meâ€. “It’s important because it means that we will all have to work together to make sure that everyone has a friend,” another added.
The concept can be introduced to students in younger grades using role play incorporating the actual seat to familiarize them with its purpose and use. The friendship seat is good for solving problems. Children who are sad and alone can sit there and wait for someone to invite them to play with them. The friendship seat gives students a good opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. The friendship seat can build confidence to talk to different people.
Of course the buddy bench must be an attractive good quality, durable, safe, low maintenance seat to sit on, similar to other standard playground equipment, but clearly marked with its purpose. BAB Aluminium have been making such school seating for many years and now they offer a buddy bench seat as part of their range.