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Residential Assistants

Residential Assistants are student members of staff who assist in the delivery of Residential Support’s “Residential Life” programme throughout the academic year. Residential Assistants will also work with the Halls Management Team to complete various tasks in all buildings, so the work is varied and will include elements of manual work such as moving furniture, putting up signage, dealing with post and moving rubbish etc

To help you get a feel for what life is like as a RA, our current RA's, Luxia, Harrison and Deeya, would like to share their experiences with you...

A picture of Luxia, a Residential Asssitant.

Luxia

By becoming a Residential Assistant I have practiced and learnt a wide variety of skills, and dealt with diverse situations, which will all be useful not only in my future career but also personal life.

Like all new students I was nervous to start university and enter a new environment where everyone was a stranger. Arriving a week earlier as an RA I got the opportunity to make friends with the other RAs, get used to the campus, get some student tips from the staff and returning RAs, then help all the other students settle in.

Being an RA has allowed me to practice my teamwork and leadership skills to no end. No matter whether it's welcoming new students, helping at open days, planning events, working on reception or moving furniture, we work as a team and are all given the opportunity to take the lead.

Being an RA has not only given me a great student job, introduced me to a lively group of people and taught me new skills it has also enhanced my university experience. I now feel much better prepared to enter the world of full-time work once I finish my education.

A picture of Harrison, a Residential Asssitant.

Harrison

When applying for my job as a Residential Assistant I didn’t know what to expect. My previous job roles had included being a waiter, a barman and a cleaner. Whilst my CV probably boasted buzz words such as energetic, enthusiastic and engaging – I really didn’t have much experience to back that up.

However, being an RA has allowed me to demonstrate these skills whether that be by parading around as a woodland creature to encourage students to think about security, icing cupcakes to raise money for breast cancer research, or showing a nervous new student that London isn’t all that scary.

If you join the Residential Support team at Queen Mary, you’ll get to help students, receive genuine gratitude and be proud of the work you do.

A picture of Deeya, a Residential Asssitant.

Deeya

Moving away from home is a big part of university life and as Residential Assistants we help with making that process easier and more comfortable for students. We interact with residents at events and get their feedback through our “Residential Support on Tour” initiative. This allows Residential Support to constantly improve the services they offer residents.

Being an RA has been a very enjoyable experience that has allowed me to further develop my team working, communication and interpersonal skills. Through being an RA I have been able to help out and contribute to university events and involve myself in supporting residents. I have very much enjoyed working with the Residential Support team to help make the university experience better for students living in halls.

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