Cymraeg
Cardiff Students’ Union has partnered with Shelter Cymru, conducting research on students’ way of living, the current student housing market, and what advice can be offered for the students that feel like they have been wronged by local estate agencies.
With the cost-of-living crisis making everyone feel a pinch on their budgets, students are facing pressures in the student housing market due to low incomes and the constraints of the accommodation options available to them.
Cardiff Students’ Union is a charity who aims to support and empower students at Cardiff University, which is why partnering with Shelter Cymru has been an essential step for the Student Advice service. This service is independent of the University, and its role is to give students impartial and objective advice, most frequently relating to their studies and their student accommodation.
Shelter Cymru exists to defend the right to a safe home in Wales, believing that home is everything and that without a secure and good quality home, it is impossible to lead a healthy, happy, and productive life.
Annually, thousands of students are advised by Cardiff Students’ Union, providing a comprehensive and up-to-date understanding of the housing options that are available in and around Cardiff. This research project, in collaboration with Shelter Cymru, was intended to help consolidate Cardiff SU’s understanding, to inform practice and implement more efficient support streams, and to support student-led campaigns moving forwards.
Gina Dunn, Cardiff Students’ Union President, said:
"Students' living conditions directly impact every part of their life at university, which includes the success of their studies. This is why this research has been so important in helping us adapt our own strategy in offering the best advice as a response, through our Student Advice service, and to help inform our campaigns. We were delighted to work with Shelter Cymru on this and we hope to see more done by the council and the sector as a result."
Shelter Cymru have produced a housing research report with the aim of highlighting the realities of living in student accommodation in Cardiff, providing the opportunity for a more detailed look at the student housing market and the pressures students are experiencing with rising housing costs.
The report was conducted by interviewing students in Cardiff about various topics within student housing. For example, interviewees were asked about the quality of housing, e.g., problems like damp or mould, the cost of renting, accommodation type, and being pressured into signing contracts by local estate agencies, which has proved to be a growing issue.
A Shelter Cymru Spokesperson said:
"We saw a significant increase in demand for our advice services from students during the Covid-19 pandemic. Now we have concerns about the dual impact of the housing emergency and Cost of Living crisis, with the availability and cost of private rented accommodation also being a concern for us.
"As this report highlights, the cost, condition, and supply of student accommodation can have a severe impact on a student’s mental health and wellbeing. This can place students at a higher risk of poorer educational outcomes or dropping out of education altogether.
"The report also tells us that students at Cardiff University don’t always know where to go for advice about their housing situation and are less likely to turn to free, independent support services like Shelter Cymru. We are committed to working with the Students’ Union to raise awareness of how we can help students when they need help. We will also continue to work alongside the Students’ Union to strengthen their own advice service and shape their campaigning priorities.”
If you would like to read the full Shelter Cymru report, click here: https://sheltercymru.org.uk/policy_and_research/cardiff-student-union-housing-research-report/
Mae Undeb Myfyrwyr Caerdydd wedi partneru â Shelter Cymru, gan gynnal ymchwil ar ffordd o fyw myfyrwyr, y farchnad dai presennol i fyfyrwyr, a pha gyngor y gellir ei gynnig i fyfyrwyr sy'n teimlo eu bod nhw wedi cael cam gan asiantaethau tai lleol.
Gyda’r argyfwng costau byw yn gwneud i bawb deimlo straen ar eu cyllidebau, mae myfyrwyr yn wynebu pwysau arbennig yn y farchnad dai myfyrwyr oherwydd eu hincwm isel a chyfyngiadau’r opsiynau llety sydd ar gael iddynt.
Mae Undeb Myfyrwyr Caerdydd yn elusen sydd â’r nod o gefnogi a grymuso myfyrwyr ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd, a dyna pam mae ein partneriaeth â Shelter Cymru wedi bod yn gam hanfodol i’r gwasanaeth Cyngor i Fyfyrwyr. Mae’r gwasanaeth hwn yn annibynnol ar y Brifysgol, a’i rôl yw rhoi cyngor diduedd a gwrthrychol i fyfyrwyr, gan amlaf yn ymwneud â’u hastudiaethau a’u llety myfyrwyr.
Mae Shelter Cymru yn bodoli i amddiffyn yr hawl i gartref diogel yng Nghymru. Credwn mai cartref yw popeth a heb gartref diogel o ansawdd da, ei bod yn amhosibl byw bywyd iach, hapus a chynhyrchiol.
Bob blwyddyn, mae miloedd o fyfyrwyr yn cael eu cynghori gan Undeb Myfyrwyr Caerdydd, gan ddarparu dealltwriaeth gynhwysfawr a chyfoes o'r opsiynau tai sydd ar gael i fyfyrwyr yng Nghaerdydd a'r cyffiniau. Bwriad y prosiect ymchwil hwn, mewn cydweithrediad â Shelter Cymru, oedd helpu i atgyfnerthu dealltwriaeth UMC, llywio arferion a gweithredu ffrydiau cymorth mwy effeithlon, a chefnogi ymgyrchoedd a arweinir gan fyfyrwyr y dyfodol.
Dywedodd Gina Dunn, Llywydd Undeb Myfyrwyr Caerdydd:
"Mae amodau byw myfyrwyr yn effeithio'n uniongyrchol ar bob rhan o'u bywyd yn y brifysgol, sy'n cynnwys llwyddiant eu hastudiaethau. Dyma pam mae’r ymchwil hwn wedi bod mor bwysig i’n helpu i addasu ein strategaeth ein hunain wrth gynnig y cyngor gorau mewn ymateb, trwy ein gwasanaeth Cyngor i Fyfyrwyr, ac i helpu i lywio ein hymgyrchoedd. Roeddem yn falch iawn o weithio gyda Shelter Cymru ar hyn ac rydym yn gobeithio gweld mwy yn cael ei wneud gan y cyngor a’r sector o ganlyniad.”"
Mae Shelter Cymru wedi cynhyrchu adroddiad ymchwil tai gyda’r nod o dynnu sylw at realiti byw mewn llety myfyrwyr yng Nghaerdydd, gan roi’r cyfle i gael golwg fanylach ar y farchnad dai myfyrwyr a’r pwysau y mae myfyrwyr yn ei brofi gyda chostau tai cynyddol.
Cynhaliwyd yr adroddiad drwy gyfweld â myfyrwyr yng Nghaerdydd am bynciau amrywiol o fewn tai myfyrwyr. Er enghraifft, holwyd y cyfweleion am ansawdd y tai e.e. problemau fel lleithder neu lwydni, cost rhentu, math o lety, a phwysau i arwyddo cytundebau gan asiantaethau tai lleol, sydd wedi bod yn broblem gynyddol.
Dywedodd llefarydd ar ran Shelter Cymru:
"Gwelsom gynnydd sylweddol yn y galw am ein gwasanaethau cynghori gan fyfyrwyr yn ystod pandemig Covid-19. Nawr mae gennym bryderon am effaith ddeuol yr argyfwng tai a chostau byw, ac mae argaeledd a chost llety rhent preifat hefyd yn bryder i ni.
"Fel y mae’r adroddiad hwn yn ei amlygu, gall cost, cyflwr a chyflenwad llety myfyrwyr yn arbennig gael effaith ddifrifol ar iechyd meddwl a lles myfyriwr. Gall hyn roi myfyrwyr mewn mwy o berygl o ganlyniadau addysgol gwaeth neu o roi’r gorau i addysg yn gyfan gwbl.
"Mae’r adroddiad hefyd yn dweud wrthym nad yw myfyrwyr ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd bob amser yn gwybod ble i fynd am gyngor ynghylch eu sefyllfa dai a’u bod yn llai tebygol o droi at wasanaethau cymorth annibynnol rhad ac am ddim fel Shelter Cymru. Rydym wedi ymrwymo i weithio gydag Undeb y Myfyrwyr i godi ymwybyddiaeth o sut y gallwn helpu myfyrwyr pan fydd angen cymorth arnynt. Byddwn hefyd yn parhau i weithio ochr yn ochr ag Undeb y Myfyrwyr i gryfhau eu gwasanaeth cynghori eu hunain a llunio eu blaenoriaethau ymgyrchu.”
Os hoffech ddarllen adroddiad llawn Shelter Cymru, cliciwch yma.