Queen's Accommodation and Hospitality - Help With Settling In

Where To Stay

Where to get help with settling in

Community Youth Workers
At Queen’s University the welfare of all students is paramount, so 24 hour support is provided by three Community Youth Workers and a team of Resident Assistants who live in residences at Elms Village, Grant House, College Gardens, Guthrie House and Mount Charles.

This is of particular help to new students who may be living away from home for the first time. Without the support of friends and family, life at any university can be difficult at the start of first semester. The community support team provides a safety net to get you off and running and in a good frame of mind to begin your studies.

The Community Youth Workers are responsible for:

• welcoming you on arrival and helping you settle into your accommodation;
• showing you where to go and how things work;
• providing pastoral care and support if required;
• organising social events to help you get to know other students;
• building strong community relations within all residences;
• signposting the support offered within the Students' Union by the Sabbitical Officers
• helping to address anti-social behaviour;
• ensuring you conduct yourself in a responsible and adult manner, respecting the comfort, convenience and safety of other residents and local residents;
• ensuring that you are familiar with the University’s conduct regulations
• developing and understanding the needs of undergraduate students, international students and postgraduate students;
• providing an open forum where you can voice your opinion, put forward ideas and thoughts on improving your accommodation and facilities provided;
• providing details on free and confidential welfare services available to students of Queen’s University (Counselling Service, University Medical Centre, Student Advice within the Students’ Union, Chaplaincies).

Resident Assistants – what we do

Resident Assistants (RAs) are students who support the Community Youth Workers and the Accommodation and Facilities team in the day to day running of the accommodation.

RA’s are voluntary workers and receive free accommodation in exchange for giving up some of their time each week to help other students and carry out health and safety checks.

If you would like to become an RA next year all 2^nd/3^rd year students or postgraduate students can apply. Pease call into reception at Elms Village for more information.

The Resident 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 all your fellow residents;
• advising you on your responsibilities regarding fire safety and organising / assisting in fire drills;
• carrying out regular health and safety checks within your block or house;
• signposting you to a Community Youth Worker to speak to in confidence if you are having problems settling into University, feeling lonely or need help with personal matters;
• promotingthe social programme

The Residential Assistants are unlikely to pay much attention to your comings and goings (or the times of these) unless you disturb other residents in the process.

Buddy, can you spare the time? Become a ‘buddy’ volunteer…

If you are interested in getting involved in our new start of term “buddy system”, volunteering your skills or experience, or in becoming a Resident Assistant please speak with your Resident Assistant or one of the Community Youth Workers, or call into Reception at Elms Village.