How one Community Lead helped his UAL hall feel like home

Jasper Cushing (he/they), a Halls Life Community Lead, has been awarded a CUBO Residence Life Star Award for his outstanding contribution to student life at Furzedown and Cedars Hall. 👏

Through events like his Furzedown Mental Health Science Convention, Jasper has helped make conversations around mental health feel more accessible, creating space for students to reflect, connect, and look out for one another.

That same approach runs through everything he delivers, from teaching residents to grow their own food at his Infinite Food Glitch event, to encouraging students to consider how small acts of kindness can make a difference with his Random Acts of Kindness Jar.

Jasper has put in a lot of work this year to make his halls feel like a place where everyone belongs - and it shows in the community that has grown around him at Furzedown and Cedars Hall.

We caught up with Jasper to ask him about his award win and his experience working for Halls Life this year.

🤩 What have you enjoyed about being a Community Lead for Halls Life? 

I have enjoyed so so many things! It's one of the most fun jobs I've had for sure. I love being around people and creating engaging conversations that help people feel listened to and part of community!

As Community Lead I've been able to put a lot of creativity into the events. Whether it be craft skills to share with others or finding creative solutions to making important equality, diversity and inclusion and mental health events accessible and friendly to partake in.

It always feels worthwhile to help students relax with crafts they don't get time to try/do in busy university life. Most of us are at UAL because we love art and sometimes we get caught up in the stress of being an artist academically so it's lovely to help people remember why they often love it - connecting with others, expressing yourself and making something from scratch. 

🏡 Why do you think students should be a Community Lead while living in UAL halls? 

To connect with your fellow students in a meaningful way and begin to learn what community and cultivating it actually means. People talk a lot about how important community is especially in London and in creative scenes, and of course it is! But it's not just flashy arty events, it's about people feeling safe eating together and knowing they have support.

Trying to find ways to include those who struggle to take part, continually learning from and including new perspectives, learning to trust that you can be part of it just because you're human and so you and everyone else deserves it! Our world is becoming increasingly individualistic - learning to create space outside of that is a priceless skill that you can bring into your career and other facets of your life.

Seeing that first hand, reacting, adjusting, reacting, readjusting I know how to be more attuned to the needs of people around me and I am very grateful for that. Also of course, to have fun is a great reason because you definitely will.

💭 What's been the most memorable event or moment you've organised or been part of?

It's so hard to choose! When I first applied for Halls Life, I talked about an event that I didn't even go to. My flatmate and her husband went to a Paint and Sip event and, not being the most practiced painters, had made some... obviously not practiced paintings. They were jokingly arguing in the corridor about whose was best, and they asked me and 2 other flatmates for our opinions. We all cried laughing together over the arguments for the painting and despite not living together anymore, we still are great friends! It showed me the knock-on effects of the events, sparking connections second-hand and my inspiration to work for Halls Life.

For events I've organised I genuinely don't think I can pick. Instead my most memorable type of interaction I've experienced organising events is how willing and happy people are to engage, be lovely and kind and grateful for each other if they are given the space and tools. People hugging tightly to ‘release oxytocin’ at our Mental Health Science Convention for University Mental Health Day, people acting out ridiculous characters at my Murder Mystery event, people reaching each other how to sew and learning new skills in textiles craft events. 

🧠 How has the role developed your skills?

Quite a few circumstances in my life have knocked my confidence before university and this role has genuinely given me back my confidence, plus more both personally and professionally! I have learned event management skills, stretched my creative skills in a new professional context with events planning and bits of social media marketing. I would really like to have a job that involves some events or project management in the future and am grateful for having this opportunity to develop skills and confidence in working towards that! 

🫶 Well done Jasper, the Halls Life team couldn't be prouder! 🫶

The CUBO Residence Life Star Awards are annual awards from the College and University Business Officers (CUBO) association that recognise and celebrate outstanding student staff, professionals, and teams creating supportive living communities in student accommodation.

Applications are opening on ✨20 May✨ for new roles with Halls Life, kicking off in September 2026. 

Please note - these positions will only be eligible to students who are living in the below UAL halls of residence in 2026/27:

Archwood House, The Costume Store, Emily Bowes Court, Gardens House, Glassyard Building, Highline Building, Portland House, Hawthorne House, Sketch House.