Oxford students as part of the Community

As Vice-President for Charities and Community at Oxford University Student Union (OUSU), my role is to see how we, as students, can contribute to the local community and live with others in Oxford as good neighbours.

OUSU exists to represent, support and enhance student life in Oxford.

We represent students of the university, and make sure that their voice is at the heart of conversations in both the city and the university.

If you live in Jericho or East Oxford, you might already have met some of our student community wardens, for instance.

We aim to have around 11 community wardens in any given year who go door to door during term times, chatting to residents and students about community matters that concern them.

In a scheme with the city council, we deliver information about where the local recycling points are.

We also try to find diplomatic solutions to any complaints that may have arisen about noise or other issues concerning student houses.

Since we started operating the warden scheme about five years ago, the number of complaints our student wardens have received about student behaviour has reduced.

So far this academic year, the wardens have only picked up one complaint on their rounds.

The teams also go to neighbourhood meetings to represent students, and contribute to recycling and charity collection drives with the city council.

For example, last year, we were involved with the ‘Moving On’ campaign, collecting 40 tonnes of clothes and household items to raise money for the British Heart Foundation.

Come rain or shine, our wardens are around to respond to any issues you might be having.

They are paid out of OUSU funds as they are committed to five hours a week of neighbourhood rounds. We select this team carefully, looking out for those with diplomacy and good people skills.

Aside from the community wardens, students get involved in fundraising events for two local charities and two national and international ones..

We have hundreds of students involved in Raise and Give (RAG), our charitable wing.

Last year, we worked with Oxford Food Bank, raising more than £20,000 for them, and a total of £200,000 for all charities. So far this year, students have organised a Kilimanjaro climb, a firewalk and a ball to benefit Oxford charities including KEEN, which provides social and recreational activities for young people with special needs, and Oxford Homeless Pathways.

Our work with Oxford Homeless Pathways doesn’t end there though.

OUSU has a dedicated campaign group that encourages students to support homeless people.

We staged a week of events, in which we fundraised and organised debating panels about the best forms of support.

We also do our best to back Aspire, a group which tries to find employment for people who are either homeless or on the brink of losing their home.

OUSU has also been running a Living Wage campaign since 2011, and it’s been great to see this year the university commit to pay all its staff a living wage of £7.85 an hour, instead of the national minimum wage of £6.31.

We are now lobbying the remaining colleges to do the same.

This is real recognition that students aren’t just interested in themselves, but care deeply about income inequality in Oxford.

There are so many other ways in which OUSU works to contribute to Oxford in the widest sense.

Go to ousu.org or email vpcandc@ousu.ox.ac.uk for more information.