Whether you’re only moving one town away or from the other side of the world, moving away to college for the first time can be stressful, and struggling to find a safe and affordable place to live merely adds to that stress.
In an effort to help students overcome the challenges they face when searching for housing, Georgian College recently partnered with EY Canada to create a student housing strategy.
The recently launched project, focused on student housing in Barrie, includes data gathering and consultations with key constituent groups — including students and the City of Barrie — and is expected to take place over the next six months to analyze student demand, develop options and recommendations, assess the economic impact and ultimately result in a housing strategy for the college.
This latest project builds on the actions Georgian has already undertaken to address student housing challenges, such as hiring two housing co-ordinators to work directly with students, creating a housing portal and partnering with SpacesShared, a unique program that matches students to older adults who have spare accommodations and can use some help around the home.
“Housing is really important to everybody right now,” said Suzie Addison-Toor, vice-president of student success at Georgian. “The City of Barrie and Georgian have a common goal in terms of housing. It doesn’t really matter if you’re a young nurse, someone who is working in a coffee shop or a student. They are all looking for housing that is attainable and safe in Barrie.”
Both domestic and international students often struggle to find housing when coming to study in Barrie, she said. And although the college does have three on-campus student residences available to students — one in Barrie, one in Owen Sound and one in Orillia — many students opt to live off campus.
The student residence at the Barrie campus has space for 524 students and is currently at 98 per cent capacity. The residence at the Owen Sound campus has space for 77 students and is full, while the Orillia campus student residence, which can house 192 students, sits at 91 per cent capacity.
“Most chose to live in the community and most chose to live close to where they can get jobs," Addison-Toor said.
"One of the things we know about our international students is that they are looking to make their educational journey work at Georgian, so they are seeking out employment as well as their studies," she added. "They are trying to ensure they’re stretching their dollars and are looking for places to live that might be under the $700 mark … and it’s hard.”
Developing a new student strategy will build on several current efforts the college has already undertaken to address student housing challenges, she noted, including the hiring of housing co-ordinators to work directly with students, creating a housing portal and partnering with SpacesShared, a program that matches students to older adults who have spare accommodations and can use some help around the home.
Through the two housing and outreach co-ordinators, they have created what Addison-Toor called a “robust housing portal” to provide students with a variety of different virtual resources ranging from dealing with roommates to understanding their rights and responsibilities as a renter.
“We have offered students support in relocating, connecting with the community legal supports, or sometimes it is about where to look for housing, so we have a direct link to Places For Students. Students also know students and social media is a great thing … and they can talk to other students and find the right neighbourhoods to live in,” she added.
Zaahiya Kachwala and Esosa Amenaghawon Ikponmwosa, who are both currently studying at the college’s Barrie campus, work as so-called "student housing champions" and hope to help guide their fellow international students through what can often be a complex journey to understanding life in a new country.
Kachwala came to Canada this fall from India to study human resource management. She said that although she was lucky and didn’t come up against too many barriers when searching for a place to live, many of her peers were not so lucky.
Finding somewhere to live near the college was difficult enough, and what they did find was beyond what they could afford, she said.
“We international students have a hard time looking for accommodations," Kachwala said. "There is a huge culture difference and adapting to it was difficult. When I learned of this position and I learned there were not just a few that had (the same) problems … I wanted to help and this was the best way to do it.
“We are currently facing a lot of issues with housing and (I) wanted to be there to help support students and create awareness about different issues they’re going through. (I wanted to) be a helping hand to people," she added.
Ikponmwosa, who hails from Nigeria and is studying project management at Georgian, said she “jumped” at the opportunity to help her peers.
“I have been on the positive receiving side and I just wanted to help,” she said. “As an international student, you have to understand that you need to do your due diligence … but we are grateful Georgian has this department so we can help guide students.
"It is important to know there is a cultural barrier, whether we want to acknowledge it or not. Depending on what country they’re coming from, that’s definitely the most prevalent issue … that’s why we're glad we have this … to bridge this gap," Ikponmwosa said.
