Student volunteers head for south Manchester

More than 200 students from The University of Manchester will hit the streets of south Manchester next week to make a positive impact on their local communities.

The students, through the Manchester Leadership Programme (MLP), will take their wellies, spades and paint brushes to a range of volunteering projects in Withington, Moss Side, Rusholme and Fallowfield. 

Lindsay Gilbert, Head of Volunteering and Community Engagement at the University: “We hope this week will help to challenge or even change some of the negative perceptions of students as we forge positive new relationships between our students and the wider community. All of these projects will create lasting changes that impact people in our local community.”

The Projects:

Monday, November 8
50 students will renovate Depaul Safestop in Withington, a young people’s homeless hostel.   They will paint and spruce up all 12 bedrooms in the hostel as well as tidying the large overgrown garden, tidying up a herb garden and planting bulbs.  This will be a real challenge that Depaul UK would not be able to do without the students help. Depaul UK is the largest charity for young homeless people in the UK, helping more than 3,500 young people a year, as well as 2000 more through their Nightstop schemes.

Wednesday, November 10
60 student volunteers will create a new allotment for the local community on an overgrown plot on the corner of Bowes Street and Claythorpe Street in Moss Side, where they will also prepare the area for an orchard, a seating area and a BBQ area.

Thursday, November 11
60 student volunteers will visit Frank Hatton Court, sheltered accommodation for older people in Rusholme, to clean up the outdoor area that is currently unused, including painting, planting and weeding. The students will also join the residents for lunch to build lasting relationships

Friday, November 12
Students will clear and tidy the Fallowfield Loop cycle path to encourage more people to use the path, and help to create a mini allotment plot for use by homeless families.

The Manchester Leadership Programme (MLP) is a credit-rated unit that has been developed to help students from The University of Manchester to understand the challenges of leadership in the 21^st century that embraces social, economic and environmental sustainability, as well as providing them with a toolkit of transferable skills that will boost their employability. The MLP comprises two elements: credit rated Leadership in Action academic unit and up to 60 hours voluntary work within the community. This year, the University has 1,200 students from a wide range of disciplines undertaking the MLP.

Your New Housing Officer Says Hello

Hello to everyone connected with Manchester Student Homes!

I’m delighted to start work as your new Housing Officer.  I am particularly looking forward to the diversity of this role. I’ll be on hand to help landlords through the maze of legislation, regulation and ever changing policy at local and national levels. And I’ll be here to help students find their way through those first and sometimes tricky years of independent living.  It’s an exciting and challenging time to come onboard. Just as the sector has started to adapt to new regimes in standards and licensing, new pressures have emerged as political interest in the sector has grown with regard to topics such as community and anti-social behaviour.

I have three main aims as the Manchester Student Homes Housing Officer: to ensure that students have a good letting experience, that landlords have successful respected businesses and that all of us; students, landlords and the universities; take seriously our responsibility to our communities and our city.

I studied at the University of Manchester and loved every minute of it, leading me to make this city my home. Since then I’ve worked in the social housing and trade association sectors. I’ve had a very broad professional experience to date and know this role will broaden my experiences further still.

If you have any questions or need any help or advice please do not hesitate to get in touch.

James Wright – Housing Officer