Students are good for York
Posted on 9 March 2004
The city's University and three colleges - York St John, Askham Bryan College and York College - are currently recruiting students for degree courses starting in the autumn.
"Students in York do some wonderful work for the community," says Professor Dianne Willcocks, Principal of York St John College. "Their presence is also a big boost to the local economy.
"Importantly, students come to higher education in York as local people who will contribute more effectively to their community, or as newcomers who may spend between three and thirty years dedicating their talents to the public good of York and North Yorkshire."
"It's easy to see students as stereotypes," said Graeme Murdoch, Deputy Principal at York College. "But in truth, York's students range from 18 year olds to 80 year olds, many already live in York, whilst others come from all over the world. There is, in fact, nothing 'typical' about them!"
"We should also note that York has a student population which is much smaller than student populations in other towns and cities of a similar size. We can and should accommodate more students."
"Supporting teachers and pupils in schools as a student volunteer has helped me to meet lots of new people in York," said fourth year University Biology student Seema Haria. "We have been made so welcome by local schools, and volunteering is a great way to give something back to the community."
Students in York are involved in the following community activities:
- Over 400 University students teach in local primary and secondary schools as volunteers under the 'York Students in Schools' project. The project won a Queen's Jubilee Award in 2003 and has been described as a scheme "which changes lives".
- Askham Bryan student volunteers planted trees for the Copmanthorpe Parish Council this week
- 600 students across York are involved in Millennium Volunteers
- York College students supported a local tutor by sending a shipping container of educational equipment to his VSO project in Ghana
- Students run tea parties and other events for elderly local residents at both York St John College and the University
- Over 100 University students organise holidays for disadvantaged children
- Students help out with 'Ebortape', a talking magazine for the blind twice a term
- 'College Challenges' at the University have included the renovation of Fulford Methodist Chapel Hall, a mural for Fulford Community Hall and the repainting of the Shelter Charity shop in Micklegate
- Askham Bryan students have created gardens at the National Railway Museum and at Askham Richard Primary School
- York St John students support three national and three local charities each year
- University students run music, drama and dance workshops in local schools. The drama workshops also go to community centres and local prisons
- York University RAG raises tens of thousands of pounds for local and national charities
- The SSHH campaign - Silent Students Happy Homes - pioneered by York St John aims to promote harmony with local communities. Other student bodies are following suit.
- 65 new medical students (and more each year) are on placement in GP surgeries
- Over 600 occupational therapists and physiotherapists work in healthcare settings
- Over 1,000 nurses and trainee teachers from the Higher York institutions, work in and around York on placement.
Notes to editors:
- Bath, Cambridge, Durham, Exeter, Guildford, Lancaster, Loughborough, Norwich, Oxford, and Reading have a higher proportion of students in their populations than York does. York has the largest population of all these towns and cities. The English cities and towns listed have been selected because they have roughly similar populations to York and have one or more higher education institutions (including a university) located in them. Source: HESA (2002) and Census 2001 statistics at www.ons.gov.uk.
- Higher York aims to improve higher education opportunities for York and North Yorkshire and bring economic, social and cultural benefits to the region. The Higher York partners are the University of York, York St John College, York College, Askham Bryan College and the City.