It’s the final episode in our series on the future of sustainability in purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA)! The festive season is a season of giving, and so this time we’re looking at social impact – giving back to local communities by making a positive difference.

Our guests dive into their own social impact initiatives, as well as student engagement, their experiences of ‘town and gown’ tensions, and what the future might look for social impact within Higher Education and PBSA.

Hosted by Jen Steadman, Higher Education Comms Executive at Unite Students, this episode’s guests include:

• Kimberly Eyre, Residential Life Manager at Queen Mary University of London
• Mike Leonard, Residential Property Manager at the University of Leeds
• Rebecca Rymsza, Head of Brand and Communications at the Unite Foundation
• Ivy Yarrow, Social Impact Manager at Unite Students

Special guest Darren Way, founder of youth intervention charity Streets of Growth, also joins us to talk about how the charity has benefited from finding a stable home at Unite Students’ Hayloft Point property in Aldgate, London.

Accommodation Matters brings together sector experts to discuss the Higher Education sector’s key issues through the lens of student accommodation. This episode was recorded on 7th December 2023 and produced by Ed Palmer.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are the personal views of individual guest speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Unite Students and/or Unite Group plc.

Resources

The 2023 Applicant Index report is available to download now from the Unite Students website.

To find out more about the Unite Foundation's scholarship project, please visit the Foundation website; the All of Us community for care-experienced and estranged students can be found here.

2021/22 report 'The Economic and Social Impact of Queen Mary University of London' can be downloaded from the Queen Mary university website.

You can learn more about the North Hill Well Wood project, run by the University of Leeds and Unite Students, here.

For more information on Streets of Growth, visit their website now.