Thank you Guardian Cardiff for posting our guest post on their site. You can read the article
here and below
 |
| Last year's poster is now being updated |
Last year we created the free poster 'You're in. Now what?' (download
here) to support students in the private rented sector.
It provides advice and assistance on the four main issues that concern students: Neighbour relations including noise and parking, waste and recycling responsibilities, security advice and health and safety.
We distributed this poster as far and as wide as possible. As you can appreciate, this had positive repercussions benefiting not only the students but also the wider community, landlords and agents. This facilitated an easier, safer, greener transition for students into the private rented sector and into the community with heightened awareness of social responsibilities.
I am currently updating this poster and intend a larger print run which would enable me to again offer free copies of the poster. I will be presenting the poster for distribution around student police and communities together (PACT) meetings and other community channels.
We are working to empower the community so I am able to offer the poster out to members of the community to display and distribute to your new student neighbours to help them during this often difficult and contentious time.
I have also been writing to my contacts through letting agents and landlords and am pleased to say that all letting agents who are an accredited ALMA agent have taken up this opportunity along with many others.
If there are any letting agents or landlords who haven't been contacted please get in
touch if you are interested in receiving this information which may assist your company, clients and tenants. I will distribute to you to allow you to distribute and display throughout your properties, send them out during your property inspections, for distribution at key exchange and to send onto landlords. Please contact me with the number of copies that you require and a delivery address.
Come September, the start of term is often the first time many move out of halls or home and take on such a wide range of responsibilities – it can be very daunting.
Everyone can help with this transition and get the message of community out to those who need help and education. We encourage students to introduce themselves to their neighbours, and to respect the fact that not everyone works to a student calendar. I would appeal to the community that the warmer the welcome, the greater the ownership and respect we will secure from the newcomers. So if you can offer this information poster to your new neighbours, introduce yourself and make them feel a welcome part of the community we can hopefully contribute to a more sustainable community with heightened social awareness.
'You're in. Now what?' is produced and supported in association with
http://www.cardiffdigs.co.uk/ a one stop website for student housing and living needs containing useful information and practical tips about living and studying in Cardiff.
If you would like to receive copies of the poster in preparation for September then please get in contact.
Kieran McCann is Cardiff council's student liaison officer and works in partnership with Cardiff, UWIC and Glamorgan universities. Email him
here.
