UNITE, the UK’s leading developer and manager of student accommodation, has launched a charitable trust, the UNITE Foundation, that will support widening access to university for disadvantaged young people and the integration of students within communities, via:
- New bursary scheme for 21 students from disadvantaged backgrounds
- £85,000 of charitable donations to organisations that support UNITE Foundation’s ethos: IntoUniversity and Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE)
The UNITE Foundation will receive an annual income from UNITE. In its inaugural year, this represents an investment of £200,000 with an aspiration to grow this to £1 million per year within five years. The activities of the Foundation will also provide opportunities for UNITE employees to deepen their engagement within the communities in which they work.
In celebration of UNITE’s 21st birthday, 21 students from the University of Bristol, the University of Edinburgh, King's College London and Sheffield Hallam University will benefit from UNITE Bursaries which include free accommodation in a UNITE property for the duration of their study and up to £4,000 per year towards living expenses. A number of UNITE Bursaries will give priority to care leavers, a group that is particularly under-represented in higher education. It is UNITE’s ambition to extend the number of bursaries offered each year and the number of institutions it works with so that by 2016 they are supporting 140 students within the scheme.
Jane Fitzwalter, Student Funding Manager at the University of Bristol, said: “The University of Bristol is excited to involved in this scheme as it gives us an opportunity to support a group of students that we know are under-represented in higher education, particularly at a time when the costs of going to university may be considered a deterrent. This scheme will give us the chance to ensure that these students are appropriately supported during their time at the University of Bristol.”
Targeted donations to organisations that support the UNITE Foundation’s objectives of widening university access and integrating students into the community make up the other major strand of activity. Initially, beneficiaries will be IntoUniversity and Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE).
Mark Allan, Chief Executive of UNITE Group, said: “As a responsible business that is built to last, we are aware of the impact we have on the communities in which we operate; the UNITE Foundation will help us strengthen our positive and trusting relationships with the universities and communities we serve.
“It is fitting that we launch the UNITE Foundation in the same year that UNITE celebrates its 21st birthday – a significant rite of passage that many of our students experience while living with us. The experience we have gained in this time gives me full confidence that the UNITE Foundation will enable us to make the best use our available resources to make real difference to the sector."
IntoUniversity helps young people from Britain's poorest backgrounds gain the skills which will help them into higher education. Their work, which begins with children of school age, has proven results; 70% of IntoUniversity student’s progress to university compared with the national average of 43%, and considerably better than 24%, which is the national average for pupils on Free School Meals (similar background to IntoUniversity students).
Dr Hugh Rayment-Pickard, Director of Communications, Training and Planning at IntoUniversity, thanked UNITE for its donation of £50,000: "We live by our funding and those who fund our work over the longer term are particularly valuable to us. There is a natural fit between IntoUniversity and UNITE - we are both working for the benefit of students - and through their investment they are expressing in a tangible way a commitment to supporting more young people from poor backgrounds in their aspiration to reach university. Our research shows that young people who do go to university are more likely to have a professional career, less likely to be unemployed, and are more likely to have children that go to university. We are really appreciative of the funding."
The Foundation will continue UNITE’s support SIFE, an international organisation that works with business and higher education leaders to mobilise students around the world to make a difference to their communities while developing the skills they need to become social responsible business leaders.
For further information, please contact:
The UNITE Group plc
Sally Quigg, Head of Corporate Communications
Sophie Joyce, Corporate Communications Manager
About The UNITE Group
UNITE is the UK’s leading operator of purpose built student accommodation with 40,000 beds in 131 properties across 24 of the UK’s strongest university cities. We work in partnership with over 30 higher education providers, as well as renting directly to students.
The foundation for our success is providing high quality, well-located, safe accommodation that is close to university campuses, transport and local amenities. Our rent includes all bills including insurance, heating, electricity and broadband internet.
Founded in 1991, UNITE is a FTSE 250 company listed on the London Stock Exchange and a key factor of our success has been the careful development and management of our building assets. We also operate the UNITE Student Accommodation Fund (USAF) for institutional investors. We employ nearly 1,000 people and our mission is to deliver the best accommodation experience for students, with passion and pride.