QMUnity hopes to provide socialising, friendship and wellbeing opportunities as lockdown restrictions are lifted.
The Queen Margaret Union (QMU) has launched a new student charitable service called “QMUnity”. Described as a “socialisation” service, it will be run by students, for students. There will be a number of volunteers led by the charity and campaigns convenor, Rebecca Friels, and the service aims to widen the social networks of students and give “much needed” social interaction to students, “providing socialising, friendship and wellbeing opportunities” as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted.
The service will come in two parts: the first of these is an instant messaging service which will operate from Monday to Friday and operate from 1pm to 3pm. Students looking for someone to talk to can simply message the page and a volunteer will be online to chat during those hours.
The second part of the service will be a service offering “Covid-safe walks”. These walks will take place every Friday and be one-to-one with a student and volunteer. The walks will be 30 minutes and will see the wearing of face masks and social distancing. Slots will be posted every Friday on the QMUnity page. Students will be able to message the page and arrange all the details of the walks privately with students.
On their website, the QMU states: “While an end to Covid restrictions seems to be on the horizon, we know that students have been, and are still, struggling as a result of the pandemic and the increased restrictions on socialising. We at the QMU want to do more to help our student body through these difficult times, and as such are introducing a new service: QMUnity!
“We hope that QMUnity will be able to support students as much as possible in these difficult times and provide at least a small amount of needed social interaction!”
To access the QMUnity Facebook page, click here.
QMU stress that this is a volunteer service, and that if you are in need of professional help or counselling then visit their Elephant in the Room resources here.
