These articles are now archived and will no longer be updated.
The University has supported the homelessness charity with a community grant
Swansea University has awarded a community grant of £250 to homelessness charity Llamau.
The grant was used for young people living within Swansea’s Drws Agored 24 hour supported accommodation, who were able to choose what they would like to spend it on.
Comments from some of the young people who benefitted:
“Big thank you to Swansea Uni for this tablet, it will help me keep in touch with family and friends.”
“I didn’t have a TV when I moved into the project and this is great thanks Swansea Uni.”
“Big cheers to Swansea Uni, it will help me with video chats with friends and family.”
“Thank you Swansea Uni, I could not afford a tablet and this will help me get online.”
The grant has, therefore, reduced their risk of social exclusion and improved relationships with peers and their emotional wellbeing. It also means they can comply with social distancing guidelines, as well as get involved in virtual education and training.
The grant, administered by Community@CampusLife, is usually a fund to bring students and non-students closer together. Other grants have supported tools for the Tree Planting Society to plant hundreds of trees on Kilvey Hill, a lane in the National Pool for the Sea Cadets to complete training and funding to the Sameera Foundation for homelessness packs and hot meals for people experiencing homelessness at Christmas.
Due to lockdown and with campuses in hibernation, the grant was advertised through Swansea Council of Voluntary Services (SCVS), where Llamau applied for it.
Llamau aims to prevent homelessness from happening, provide safe accommodation for those experiencing homelessness, and support people to develop the skills and confidence to leave homelessness behind for good.
CampusLife Community Liaison Officer, James Slattery, said:
“We will look to connect students to the funded projects when we can. But it is more important to us that we were able to help during a national crisis and, in particular, to help young people who might be considering what the world of Higher Education has to offer them.”
Llamau’s Director of Fundraising and Communications, Jenna Lewis said:
“We were so thrilled to receive a generous grant from Swansea University. The grant has ensured that the young people we’re supporting who are homeless are able to stay engaged with their education and networks throughout the pandemic.”
The grant also ensures the coronavirus crisis doesn’t have a permanent and detrimental impact on the young people.
Jenna added:
“It is so important that young people who are already disadvantaged by being homeless are not further disadvantaged as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and Swansea University’s grant will play a vital role in ensuring they are still able to move towards living independently and purposefully in their community.”