Building design and social engagement help students combat the challenges of youth
- Loneliness and not belonging are two of the challenges young people face (ONS)
- Building solid foundations for positive mental wellbeing can have a lifelong impact (Fusion Students)
- Fusion Students residents engage in everything from yoga to zip wires for the ultimate university experience
The latest data from the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) Measuring of National Well-being programme has highlighted loneliness, having someone to rely on and a lack of sense of belonging to their neighbourhood as two of the key issues facing young people today. For young people who are living away from home at university, these issues can be intensified.
“We are thankfully becoming more open as a society to talking about mental health and wellbeing. Young people’s experiences can influence their mental health for life, so it is essential that we ensure a positive, supportive environment is provided for students during their time at university. The importance of building a solid foundation, where young people can feel safe, nurtured and part of a community, has never been more fully appreciated.”
Warren Rosenberg, CEO, Fusion Students
With this in mind, leading student accommodation and lifestyle provider Fusion Students is working to create the ultimate environment for today’s university students. The strategy involves providing a ‘home away from home’ for all students, whether they come from the local area or half a world away.
There are two main elements to the Fusion Students strategy – the physical environment and the social calendar.
Working in partnership with site operator Collegiate, Fusion is delivering safe, secure accommodation that provides a careful balance between luxurious private rooms and superb social spaces in which students can relax and have fun with their peers. Eclipse in Cardiff, for example, features an on-site cinema, a gym and fitness suite, a dinner party room and a themed party/events room. Such facilities form the core of the Fusion Students offering when it comes to spaces in which residents can enjoy their leisure time.
At properties such as Fusion Tower in Bristol, 24-hour concierge staff also serve to help students feel secure and know that there is always someone around that they can turn to for support.
For the social calendar element, Fusion arranges a diverse series of events aimed not just to combat loneliness, but also to allow young people to discover new interests, form lasting friendships and build their confidence. Activities are as varied as workshops with motivational speaker Pete Cohen and weekly yoga sessions. Cocktail masterclasses are planned for the end of May, while dining clubs, which see chefs teaching residents the secrets of their craft, take place between February and June. A glamping trip, gin tasting, BBQs and a zip wire adventure are all being held in the coming weeks.
“We put a lot of thought into offering a range of events that will appeal to our diverse group of residents. Some, like the dining clubs, build life skills. Others, such as the zip wire adventure, are about building confidence. Then there are events that are purely for fun, relaxation and making friends. It’s a winning combination that provides our residents with a real sense of community and belonging.”
Warren Rosenberg, CEO, Fusion Students
Fusion Students also arranges seasonal events throughout the year, from Easter egg hunts to pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. Domestic and international cultural considerations are taken into account, with Welsh cakes on St David’s day and celebrations galore for Chinese New Year. The social calendar culminates with a lively summer party at the end of the academic year, offering students the chance to celebrate the end of term in style, with those to whom they have grown closest over the course of the past year.
Overall, the ONS’s Measuring of National Well-being programme paints a broadly positive picture of UK life. By giving such consideration to the way young people experience their first instance of living away from the parental home, companies such as Fusion Students are doing much to ensure that future surveys report rising levels of satisfaction, as those young people grow into confident, well rounded adults.
For more information about Fusion Students please call 0117 405 7852 or visit https://www.fusionstudents.co.uk/residence/eclipse/ for information about Eclipse, Cardiff, https://www.fusionstudents.co.uk/locations/student-accommodation-nottingham/ Nova in Nottingham, https://www.fusionstudents.co.uk/locations/student-accommodation-bristol/ Fusion Tower in Bristol or https://www.fusionstudents.co.uk/locations/student-accommodation-newcastle/ for Plummer House in Newcastle.
To book accommodation, contact Collegiate on +44 1235 250 140 or visit www.collegiate-ac.com.