Built on its existing Residency Living programme, the new virtual service has been developed to help students maintain their mental wellbeing and offer them the opportunity to learn new skills during a time when movement and socialising is restricted.
Tom Martin, head of Residency Living for Student Living by Sodexo, said: “Our residency living programme is a huge support to many students, whether that’s through the skills they learn or the social and wellbeing support that students get from it, so it was really important that we continue the programme throughout lockdown when many students are away from their friends and family.
“We have had some really positive feedback from students so far and we are continuing to look at ways we can develop more activities to keep our residents and supported entertained, while also ensuring their safety, during the coronavirus lockdown.
“Our teams are committed to ensure students become part of the local communities and where we can have also extended our services to a number of local residents in need of assistance or support.”
Normally Sodexo would be looking after more than 10,000 students across University and private accommodation sites across the UK. The lockdown prompted by coronavirus means many of those students have returned home to their families, but there is still a large number of students in residence.
The new virtual service includes live Facebook Q&A sessions with the Sodexo team, online exercise classes and a series of lessons ranging from Spanish, cookery and salsa dancing. Students can also visit the student living website where they can read about how to manage stress, sleep hygiene and much more.