Queen's Accommodation and Hospitality - Help With Settling In

Where To Stay

Help settling in

Community Youth Workers (CYW)

At Queen’s University we make the welfare of all students a priority and 24 hour support is provided by three Community Youth Workers and a team of twelve Residential Assistants who live in residences at Elms Village, Grant House, College Gardens, Guthrie House and Mount Charles. Our Community Youth Workers and Residential Assistants will be able to offer support if you feel lonely or homesick. They also organise social events regularly through each semester.

The Community Youth Workers:

·        Welcome you on arrival and help you settle into your accommodation

·        Show you where to go

·        Will tell you about all the social events for students and where these are advertised

·        Will lead a tour of the facilities at Elms Village and show you the student Lounge at the Elms Centre – an alcohol free venue for events and for simply chilling out or playing computer and board games, surfing on the bank of PCs or meet with friends for a coffee

·        Provide support and help

·        Organise social events to help you get to knowfellow students

·        Build strong community relations within all residences

·        Work closely with the Students’ Union to assist you with any issue you may have

·        Help to address antisocial behaviour

·        Ensure you conduct yourself in a responsible and adult manner, respecting the comfort, convenience and safety of other students and local residents

·        Ensure you are familiar with the University’s conduct regulations

·        Listen to the needs of undergraduate students, international students and postgraduate students

·        Encourage you to get involved in various social events and projects

·        Organise open forums where you can voice your opinion, put forward ideas and thoughts on improving your accommodation and the facilities provided

·        Provide details on free and confidential support services available within Queen’s University.

Residential Assistants (RA)

Residential Assistants support the Community

Youth Workers and help you to settle into the accommodation. They are students themselves, usually in their 2nd or 3rd year.

The Residential Assistants are responsible for:

·        Welcoming you on arrival and helping you settle into your accommodation

·        Carrying out induction meetings with each floor / building which gives you the opportunity to meet your fellow residents

·        Provide a nightly drop-in service where you can call in and meet/discuss any issue with a Residential Assistant

·        Advising you on your responsibilities regarding fire safety and organising/assisting in fire drills

·        Carrying out regular fire and health and safety checks within your apartment / building

·        Planning activities and promoting the full social programme designed for you and fellow students to develop a liveable, inclusive and responsible community within accommodation

·        Communicating the extensive social programme of events happening at Elms and other venues around campus including how to book for organised trips and outings

·        Helping you if you have a problem as a first point of contact so they can highlight your need to the Community Youth Workers, for example, if you are having problems settling into University, feeling lonely or other issues

·        Assisting you in organising your own events.

Interested? Why not be an RA?

If you are interested in getting involved as a Residential Assistant in the future please speak with your Residential Assistant or one of the Community Youth Workers; we begin the recruitment process early in April each year.

The role now qualifies for Degree Plus status so the experience gained will travel on your CV when you leave university. In return for your time each week you will get free accommodation for the academic year, but you will not have a choice of where this will be located.