Residence Life

How Residence Life can help you

We have a team of 4 full-time Residence Life Coordinators (RLCs), who are managed by a Senior RLC. Our team manage a large team of Residents’ Assistants (RAs) and Senior Residents’ Assistants (SRAs). RAs and SRAs are current Essex students, who support Residence Life functions in a part-time capacity.

Students living in on-campus accommodation are allocated to a specific Residents’ Assistant (RA), their responsibility is to welcome you to your new community and answer any questions you may have. They will organise some events to help you settle in, make new friends, experience new things, and feel part of the Essex community. RAs will often contact you via your Essex email to let you know about the different activities and events they are planning and invite you to get involved.

Your RA can help you with:

• Welfare support
• Communal issues
• Interpersonal conflict
• Advice and signposting to university and local services
• Setting out standards of behaviour and expectations on communal living

Your RA will usually be able to assist you, however, on some occasions they may need to refer the matter to a Senior Residents’ Assistant, Residence Life Coordinator, or Security depending on the situation.

RAs and SRAs are returning students with lots of knowledge, experience and training, so if you have a query or are struggling with university life speaking to an RA is a good place to start to get some peer advice and support. See how you can get in touch with us below. There are opportunities for all Essex students to engage with us, no matter whether you live on or off campus.

Evening support

A number of RAs and SRAs work on the evening support rota every evening in both Colchester and Southend. Their work varies depending on current priorities but may involve facilitating flat meetings, visiting residents, and providing proactive support to help resolve any issues.

Drop-in Hour

We’re available for a virtual chat via Zoom every day from 7pm – 8pm during term time. Join with Zoom Meeting ID: 920 1237 9049

All Essex students are welcome, drop-in to get some support or advice on anything that maybe worrying you, or just for a chat about your day. We’re here to listen.

Living off campus?

RAs support students living off campus in accommodation provided by Host, Elmstead Place, The Maltings, Hythe Mills and Avon Way, which are in the local Colchester area. Whilst these buildings are managed independently, RAs are available to chat if you’re looking for some guidance or information on how to tackle a communal living issue, they can help you get settled into the Colchester area and provide information on both university and external support available. Exact details of each monthly Res Life drop-in will be communicated locally by your accommodation provider.

If you live off campus with a different provider or in private accommodation, we’re still here to support you. Many of our events and activities are designed to inclusive to all students, see how to connect with us below and get in touch.

Connect with us

• Residence Life events
• Residence Life Facebook
• Residence Life Instagram

Further support:

• For urgent support out of hours contact Security. You can also get support in a physical or mental health emergency.
• For support with your health and wellbeing during office hours, please contact the Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity Team.
• All general enquiries that do not require an urgent solution should be directed to the Student Services Hub.