A new approach to community engagement

Being an Engaged University, including with our local community in Reading, Wokingham and the Thames Valley, is one of the four principles in the University’s Strategic Plan 2020-1026. In recent years, this work has expanded significantly, and University Executive Board (UEB) has approved a new approach for how we undertake this important work.

Re-thinking our approach to local engagement

In early 2022, the Vice-Chancellor led a round-table discussion of internal stakeholders to consider the University’s approach to and resourcing of community engagement. With growth in student numbers there has been increasing focus and expectation on universities to improve their local engagement. In Reading, there is recognition of the impact student behaviour can have on local residents and the limited resource available to meaningfully build relationships and work with local communities.

A review of our current provision was completed by Paul Inman, UEB lead on community engagement, with input from an independent consultancy, Student Services, colleagues currently involved in community work and current students. It covered how we support and proactively engage students living in privately rented accommodation and local residents living next them and how we strategically engage with the local community to deliver on our strategic goals.

Seeking input from local residents and stakeholders

Following this review, a set of recommendations went to UEB and subsequently to the University’s Community Forum, where more than a hundred local stakeholders gave valuable feedback on our plans to develop a much stronger focus on student wellbeing and on co-creation of solutions with the local community, through:

• an enhanced community engagement team with an increase in full-time resource alongside 15 Student Community Champions.
• establishing an internal Community Engagement Steering Group to coordinate University activity that will drive and deliver on the strategic principle of being an Engaged University.
• building more strategic and collaborative partnerships with local authorities, including Thames Valley Police.
• establishing a partnership project with RUSU to explore and deliver opportunities that increase support to students living off campus.

Next steps

The next 12 months will be spent embedding the recommendations and new model, including consulting with relevant colleagues and internal departments to understand how this model will impact them.

Stay up to date and get involved with community activities

The University has a Community Action Partnership for any colleague involved in community activity, interested in staying up to date or wanting to learn more about getting involved. There is a Teams channel that all colleagues can join and monthly meetings to connect and share updates. The meeting is flexible and there is no commitment to attend each month so you can fit this around your existing work.

If you would like to join the Teams channel and/or receive invites to the monthly meetings please contact Molli Cleaver.

There is a dedicated Local Community page on the University website that outlines some of our community activity and includes contact details if a member of the community wants to get in touch. The webpage is regularly updated to capture more of our community activity.