Accomodation Opportunities: ResLife Grant Scheme

By Joe Ashby, University of Sydney, Australia

I wanted to take the time to write about a really cool opportunity available for students staying in USYD accommodation. To my knowledge, in all student halls across Sydney, ResLife will be closely tied to your accommodation experience. In QMB, my residence, several events have been put on aiming to integrate the myriad of international and exchange students together. These are all great, and whether or not you should choose to attend them, you will definitely get the sense that there is considerable effort being put into a smooth integration process for you.

In this blog, however, I want to talk about a specific opportunity put forth by ResLife that gives students the chance to leave their own stamp on Sydney during their exchange here. This is the Grant Scheme, which provides students with the necessary funding to support an accommodation-based initiative. You really can apply for a grant for anything, so long as it fits within the guidelines. Be prepared, however, to provide extensive detail about the benefits of your idea to the community of your building, and also the possible risks associated with it. The application may seem like a long process, but trust me, it’s worth it. I found out about all this just a couple weeks into the exchange, and luckily, we had already set up a running club for QMB students, so the grant scheme seemed like a no-brainer to us.

Our club had started from just a few members, to a now 60+ strong group of QMB residents joining us on our weekly runs. Along with the other core members, we submitted the application for a $3000 (£1500) grant, which would enable us to support and expand this club. A few weeks later we were accepted, and meetings began about the next steps for the initiative. It’s a really exciting opportunity, and we are currently in the process of finalising merchandise, rewards schemes, and events for our club as a result of this grant. Without the grant, I am sure the run club would have continued, but the ability to officially establish it within the university and explore opportunities such as the merchandise makes it something worth considering for a new student, and moreover, something worth me writing about!

If you are a new student based in Sydney, and living in university-owned halls, get in touch with ResLife and check whether this initiative is available to you. I could not recommend it more simply for the personal challenges it presents you with. You will learn valuable skills regarding the management, leadership, and marketing of your initiative. It’s also a chance to leave your mark during your exchange in Australia, and who knows, maybe your initiative will continue after you’re back in the UK?

Also, if you’re staying in QMB during your exchange, join our run club, as I’m positive it will remain a part of the accommodation for a while!