The Branch - Feb 2016

February 2016

This is the first edition of The Branch for 2016. Manchester Student Homes’ Good Neighbours Team has had a busy and eventful winter with lots of projects and news to tell you about!

Afternoon Tea at Woolton Hall

Hello from Milena!

Manchester Student Homes (MSH) in collaboration with The University of Manchester’s Pastoral Care Team and Ladybarn Community Centre organised and hosted a charity Afternoon Tea event at Woolton Hall on 3rd February. The event was created for local residents in care homes around Fallowfield and Withington. Alongside the tea and cake there was music, bingo and the all-important raffle!

Hello everyone my name is Milena, I am the Manchester Metropolitan University’s Community Cohesion Intern at MSH. I will be working on the Halls 2 Home Campaign supporting students during their transition from Halls of Residence to living in off campus areas.

The event was a great success and we received excellent feedback from the both the residents and volunteers! One resident stated: ‘We have had a brilliant afternoon and it has been fantastic to have the students involved. Events like this make a real impact and show the community that students do care!’

I would be really keen to hear from students, long term residents and partner organisations about the campaigns we have planned for rest of the year and how we can work better together.

Please do not hesitate to contact me at milena.mandziuk@manchester.ac.uk.

We would also like to thank the student volunteers, our MSH accredited landlord volunteers, Mark Hibbert from the University of Manchester’s Pastoral Care Team, Krysia Griffiths from Ladybarn Community Centre, MSH staff and everyone who donated gifts for the raffle!

MSH accredited Landlords have volunteered at a number of community events. If you are organising an event or need volunteers please send details of the opportunity to Poppy Humphrey (Off Campus Student Affairs Officer) at poppy.humphrey@manchester.ac.uk Manchester Student Homes is a free, university-run housing service for students. Based in Fallowfield, MSH runs a landlord accreditation scheme and can offer support to students in relation to property searches, providing housing advice and contract checking. MSH also works with students, the community and partner agencies to identify issues in off campus areas.

UKCISA Members Forum

Hate Crime Awareness Stalls

On 10th February, MSH attended the UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs) Members Forum to showcase their International Student Safety Campaign.

February 8th-14th 2016 was Manchester’s Hate Crime Awareness Week.

UKCISA is a national advisory body providing information and guidance to overseas students and the event gathered members from Universities all over the UK. It provided an opportunity to discuss effective solutions and practical advice about issues facing international students.

Joshua Payne, The University of Manchester Community Cohesion Intern, delivered a presentation about the progress of the project, and the team were delighted to receive positive feedback! There were also quick fire presentations from other institutions that have received funding for their own projects.

The forum also had the opportunity to hear from a Student Panel, who discussed their own experiences about living in the UK. The students gave feedback on the ideas and initiatives that had been granted funding, and offered thoughts on how the projects could be developed further.

There will be further updates as our safety project develops!

MSH worked with The University of Manchester student volunteers in collaboration with Manchester City Council door knocked over 800 properties on Moseley, Braemar and Brailsford Road. The purpose of the exercise was to raise awareness of safety and recycling issues when using the shared alleyways.

The week focussed on raising awareness of hate crimes and incidents, encouraging reporting and supporting victims. Hate crimes and incidents are targeted at a person because of hostility, prejudice or discrimination towards that person's disability, ethnicity, faith, belief or religion, sexual orientation, and transgender identity. MSH was proud to be involved in a series of events, activities and initiatives taking place throughout the week, in partnership with Greater Manchester Police and Council Officials.

The events ranged from handing out information in Sainsbury’s Fallowfield, being involved in a live Q&A with GMP Officers and running training sessions about Hate Crime, for Police and University colleagues.

Poppy Humphrey, Off Campus Student Affairs Officer, confirmed: “Student safety is a massive part of the work we do here at Manchester Student Homes, so we’re delighted to be part of this vital campaign, and work with our partners to raise these important issues in the communities where our students live. It’s important that we raise the profile of these issues and highlight where support can be offered”.

For more information about Hate Crime, visit www.stophateuk.org 0800 138 1625