Overview: In celebration of its signing up to the Care Leaver Covenant, Unite Students gifted 60+ 25/26 tenancies to care experienced and estranged students across 7 city locations including Bristol, Leicester, Leeds, and Liverpool.

Students were identified via the Unite Foundation reserve list. This list of existing and incoming students were eligible applicants to the 25/26 Unite Foundation Scholarship Scheme that had not been selected in the first round simply due to the scheme being annually oversubscribed. The tenancy was without cost across the range of buildings with a minimum room quality of classic ensuite.

Resourcing:  The project saw staff time principally from Unite Students’ Positive Impact manager liaising across business’ city teams to identify available rooms and make the appropriate bookings (removing cost and requirement for a guarantor). Initial contact with students was by Unite Foundation given consent by each was required for personal data to be shared to Unite Students for them to make the tenancy gift. University partners in locations also contributed in confirming student status of those young people arriving to university for the first time.

Monitoring/Evaluation: These students, alongside any Unite Students tenant, will optionally feedback on aspects of their experience throughout the year, from check-in, into the new calendar year, and to the end of the tenancy. Unite Foundation will, as with all applicants to the scholarship, include these students in the long term tracking of the scholarship outcomes.