Monday June 6th 2005

It was announced today that New College Junior Common Room, made up of the entire New College undergraduate body, has voted to introduce an optional levy on students to be paid towards youth provision in deprived areas of Oxford.

The money, which amounts to £5 for every undergraduate student at New College, will be paid to the Oxford branch of the Oxfordshire Youth Service, who provide valuable recreational and educational programmes for young people living in Oxford.

Green City Councillor Matt Sellwood, who is a member of New College JCR and proposed the measure, commented: "This is a wonderful example of the way in which the student body can work with the rest of Oxford to provide opportunities for those less fortunate than ourselves. Too often Oxford students are stereotyped as uncaring - this measure, among many others, shows that we want to be a constructive part of the whole Oxford community."

While the opportunity for students to 'opt out' of the levy has not yet expired, it is expected that the measure will raise between £1200 and £2000 for the Oxfordshire Youth Service. It will be 'ringfenced' for the provision of youth work for deprived areas of Oxford - in particular, many of the JCR members wanted it to go towards the much-needed youth scheme in the troubled Wood Farm estate.

Cllr Sellwood added: "As city councillor for an almost entirely student ward, I am delighted to see the student community 'doing its bit' in Oxford. Hopefully this will only be the start of increased co-operation between the 'gown' and the 'town' in this city."

Contact matt@greenoxford.com for more details.