University of Nottingham: Lilian Greenwood MP meets the University of Nottingham’s new Student Community Engagement Ambassadors
Lilian Greenwood MP has met staff and students at the University of Nottingham as part of a visit to find out more about a new initiative to provide help and support to the local community.
The new Student Community Engagement Ambassadors initiative will see 12 student ambassadors proactively patrolling zones in Lenton and Radford, close to the university’s University Park and Jubilee Campuses.
The scheme is aimed at building positive and longstanding relationships in the community between all residents, including students, promoting respectful behaviour and raising awareness of living as part of a mixed and diverse community.
The ambassadors will also raise awareness of sustainability among students through better household recycling and litter picking, in support of Nottingham’s Carbon Neutral 2028 ambition.
They will work in partnership with local partners such as Community Protection Officers (CPOs) and Police and will help to improve neighbourhood safety for all residents through a variety of crime reduction initiatives and campaigns.
With each ambassador working up to six hours a week, the initiative will culminate in more than 4,000 hours of additional support for the community over the course of the academic year.
Our Community Engagement Ambassadors are all current University of Nottingham students living in and around the areas they are tasked with patrolling and improving. We have recruited an enthusiastic, dedicated and sustainably-minded team to undertake this exciting new project.
Jamie Dickinson, Community Engagement Manager
He added: “We want all residents to benefit from this additional support as we aim to maintain Nottingham as a clean, green and great place to live, work and study. This project will evolve over time and we welcome any feedback from local residents by contacting our department with suggestions.
“Working closely with partners such as Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire Police, local residents groups and the Students’ Union will ensure we have a service that can adapt and respond to the needs of our mixed and diverse community.”
Lilian Greenwood, MP for Nottingham South, visited the university’s Jubilee Campus on Friday 30 September to meet some of the ambassadors taking part in the scheme and to chat with them about their new role in the community.
She said: “I was delighted to meet the new Community Engagement Ambassadors, who will work proactively with their fellow students and longer-term residents to develop good community relations, from ensuring bins are managed correctly to helping their peers understand their rights and how to access local services.
“The start of term provides a perfect opportunity to promote the good habits and neighbourliness that will benefit both students and longer-term residents in our city.”
Pablo Larius Vasquez, a Spanish and International Media and Communications student, is among the new Student Community Engagement Ambassadors.
He said: “The interaction between the student community and the wider community is pivotal in order to have local harmony. Lilian’s visit will help to drive and create the ties that will be essential for that equanimity.”