The UK Town and Gown Association strengthens town and gown partnerships by providing a network of off-campus practitioners and resources, identifying and sharing leading practices, innovative solutions and creative opportunities within off-campus communities.
We work closely with the USA based International Town and Gown Association (ITGA) to ensure a truly global approach to off-campus management.
The Role of the UKTGA is to:
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Focus on off campus living – but with an appreciation of the Student Lifecycle
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Create key off campus campaigns to enhance the student experience
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Develop academic research
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Collate a regional library of best practice
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Collate a regional key contacts/stakeholders list
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Serve on committees or task forces and take on special assignments relating to off campus themes
UKTGA | Facebook
UKTGA | Twitter
UKTGA | Chair
- Cooper Healey, Manager, Manchester Student Homes
UKGTA | Secretary
- Niamh Hayden, Community Cohesion Intern, Manchester Student Homes
UKTGA | Local Representatives
- North West: Poppy Humphrey, Off-Campus Student Affairs Officer, Manchester Student Homes
- North East: Mandy Marlow, Assistant Head of Colleges (Student Experience), Durham University
- Northern Ireland: Una Calvert, Community Relations Coordinator, Ulster University
- Northern Ireland: Dee Corbett, Community Engagement Manager, Queen's University Belfast
- South West: Rory Cunningham, Community Liaison Manager, University of Exeter
- Midlands: Claire Bent, Community Engagment Manager, University of Birmingham
- Yorkshire: Amanda Jackson, Sustainability Project Officer, University of Leeds
- Yorkshire: Tatjana Walker, Regional Manager, UNITE Yorkshire
- Yorkshire: Jeni Day, Induction and Transition Officer, University of Hull
- South East: Katie Latchford, Accommodation Manager, Canterbury Christ Church University
- Wales: PC Michael Neate, Student Liaison Officer, South Wales Police
For direct contact or to join the JISCMail: poppy.humphrey@manchester.ac.uk | +44 (0) 161 275 0750
Manchester Student Homes Welcomes LINK Strategic Partners To Our Fair City! 27th June 2019
Team MSH were delighted to welcome colleagues representing United States based ‘LINK Strategic Partners’ to our fair City in June.
Based in Washington DC, with networks across North America and Europe, LINK specialise in community engagement, strategic communications and stakeholder relations. LINK, headed up by Michael Aiken, President, work with a variety of U.S based Higher Education Institutions and community partners and as such have a wealth of knowledge about students and off campus relations. The company is very much at the pulse of all things community communications. Their youngest employee is 16 and the eldest is 91, for LINK they are passionate about inclusivity and reflecting the communities in which they work. Powerful stuff, we’re sure you’ll agree.
MSH have a long standing relationship with LINK spanning nearly a decade, and who we have worked with via our involvement on the ITGA (International Town and Gown Association) of which Cooper is a Board member. In the past 4 years we have been fortunate enough to develop our relationship further, via the UKTGA United Kingdom Town and Gown Association which was established by Cooper and myself, and now has nearly 350 members worldwide!
It was a jam packed week for LINK who held a series of meetings with University representatives including Simon Merrywest & Dr Rita Lewin (Manchester Metropolitan University), as well as external partners with whom MSH work closely with such as Councillor Nigel Murphy, Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council. A key component of the trip was the opportunity for Michael, and Jevin, LINK Engagement Lead to present at the UK Conference discussing the Student Accommodation Code of Practice’. They discussed the importance of effective student engagement and provided a key insight into the trends in social media, particularly with regard to University campuses and branding. You can view the presentation (it’s hugely insightful!) via twitter @LINKstrategic
Michael spent ten years working in Student Relations at George Washington University and spoke about community engagement issues and trends, which often span global boundaries and we can learn a huge amount from each other. This highlights the importance of these international partnerships and something that Team MSH places a great deal of importance on cultivating.
It’s fair to say that over the years we’ve talked nonstop to our friends at LINK about the work we do here at MSH to support students off campus, and this amazing city of ours. This was a wonderful opportunity to showcase our history, culture and vibrancy of the University, but also welcome our friends to this amazing city of ours. We look forward to welcoming them back home with us, in the very near future.
For more information about Manchester Student Homes visit:
https://www.manchesterstudenthomes.com/Accommodation
To read more about LINK https://linksp.com/news/
UKTGA Conference 2018
Manchester Student Homes, in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast, hosts its biggest and best UKTGA Conference yet!
Welcoming colleagues from across the UK and the United States, the United Kingdom Town Gown Association held its third Conference at Riddel Hall, Queen’s University Belfast on Monday 19th November - Tuesday 20th November 2018.
When Town met Gown
For the first time in the UK, Town and Gown officers had the chance to attain the Level 1 Certificate in ‘Town and Gown Relations’. This unique training session was delivered by Cooper Healey (Chair, UKTGA) and Poppy Humphrey (Off-Campus Student Affairs Officer, Manchester Student Homes) who was the only practitioner to hold this certificate, delivered by the ITGA. Opening discussions saw colleagues consider both the positives and challenges in their off-campus communities, and share their experiences.
You can read the full article here!
You can also find the Conference Literature here which has further information about the sessions and events held throughout the course of Conference.