PfP Students research shows one in three students often feel lonely or isolated
Places for People is calling for managers of student accommodation to ensure there is at least one member of staff on hand around the clock so students have somebody to talk to, after research showed the scale of student loneliness.
The landlord’s £21m-turnover student accommodation facilities management firm PfP Students has today launched a new campaign calling for providers of student halls to prioritise wellbeing and inclusion by “embedding mental health support into the very fabric of student living.”
It revealed findings from a survey of students carried out by polling firm Opinium, which showed 70% of students say they feel lonely or isolated, with a third (33%) saying they feel this way often.
Nearly three in 10 (29%), of those feeling lonely don’t know the people they live with and 79% said mental health support would help them choose where to live.
A total of 41% of students said the design or layout of their accommodation makes it harder to meet people, and more than half (51%) report the cost of their accommodation limits social activities.
PfP Students is committing to ensuring at least one staff member is on hand 24/7 to give students somebody to speak to and is urging other providers to do the same.
It is also aiming to have all its frontline staff across the UK mental health first aid trained.
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Eamonn Tierney, managing director at PfP Students, said: “The perception is that all students arrive at university, make friends instantly and settle straight into their new lives. Our research shows a very different reality: most students experience some level of loneliness or isolation.
“Students are telling us clearly that where they live directly affects how they feel. As accommodation providers, our job is to listen and act. Halls of residence should be more than a room for students. They should be communities that nurture connection, wellbeing and academic success.
“Above all else, we need to be there when they need us, which is why we will have a 24/7 on-site presence in all the halls we manage so at any given point every student has someone to speak to. Today, we call on the rest of the sector to join us in this commitment.”
Opinium polled 800 current students in addition to 800 prospective students on their expectations. The sample was weighted to ensure a balance of demographics and geography.
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