The University of Chester has a scheme in place to assist first year students residing in University accommodation: a Residential Life Team, based in Hospitality and Residential Services and working with other departments across the University and University Centre Shrewsbury.
Residential Assistants are current students (usually at Level 5, 6 or postgraduate taught stage) who are interested in making your experience in Halls as good as possible. You might live with an Residential Assistants (RA) or a Residential Co-ordinators (RC – usually a postgraduate research student or member of University staff); the RAs and RCs have ‘been there and done it' at the University of Chester, so can completely empathise with the settling-in process. The team is managed by the Residential Life Manager across all sites, whether Chester, Warrington or Shrewsbury.
RAs and RCs are able to advise on a number of areas and can also sign-post you to other support departments. Their role includes:
- Helping new students acclimatise to the campus, being available on ‘move-in Sunday’ to direct students and their families, and answer queries regarding accommodation and University life;
- Encouraging students to engage with University services and development opportunities, to foster good relationships between housemates and to promote a sense of community;
- Working with other members of staff where appropriate to resolve issues, including the Porters, the University Proctor, and Residential Living;
- Being the person to whom students can turn to ask questions, seek help, get to know the institution, and ultimately being a point of contact and support for students throughout the year.
Your Residential Life Team members have experienced moving away from home and starting university. Each RA and RC is trained to help with a variety of situations and if they don’t know the answer to something directly, they will know how to find out. They’re a great resource, as they know the campus on which you live, are familiar with the services offered at the University, and are generally committed to making your experience in University accommodation as positive as possible. They are all active volunteers and can give you details on how to get involved with ways to develop your own employability through volunteering. They also advise with ‘practical’ things like showing you how to report maintenance problems and referring on to others in the Residential Life Team if things are taking too long to be fixed. Sometimes students encounter difficulties with their housemates, and the RA/RC can help students to get matters resolved, by passing on information to departments such as Student Wellbeing and Mental Health, the Proctor’s Office, or the Students’ Union.
Once you have settled into University life, your RA or RC will circulate information about how to contact them and regular opportunities to meet with them. When you arrive at the University Chester, your RA or RC will be on hand to meet you when you move in, and they can also be contacted via the details on their ‘contact posters’ in your house. RAs/RCs will share information on upcoming events and sessions that may be of interest to students and will work with all residents to organise activities that contribute to an enjoyable living environment.
Do try to engage with your RA or RC – they have a wealth of experience at the University and are here to help.
For further information contact Maria Skinner Residential Life Manager, Hospitality and Residential Services, email: reslifereslife@chester.ac.uk, tel: 01244 513446.