A blue background with the words Community Life - Building a safer and more connected community. There is a picture of a group of student staff wearing blue guild t-shirts

Community Life

We want to ensure all University of Birmingham students have the best possible time living in the local community, this is where the Guild comes in, helping to build a safer and more connected community.

We encourage all residents to get involved in, look after, and feel proud of their local community.

Get Involved

We encourage all residents to get involved in, look after, and feel proud of their local community, by hosting regular events that celebrate cultural diversity and bring people together. Some examples of our activities include crafting workshops, silent disco, litter picks, and community coffee mornings. We also provide information, and advice to help you navigate life in Selly Oak and resolve any community issues.

We work in partnership with the University of Birmingham and local independent businesses & charities, and key local decision makers such as Birmingham City Council and West Midlands Police. We’re here to help make the local area a fantastic community to live in.

Contact Us

Supporting You in the Community

We undertake regular neighbourhood area checks/walks around Selly; door knocking and speaking to students about playing an active role in their local community, waste management, home safety and managing issues whilst living in the community... these are just some of the ways we support you, keep reading to learn more.

a photo of 2 community ambassadors sat at a table talking to 2 students

Support and Advice

We offer advice on keeping yourself and your home safe, waste management, landlord queries, maintaining positive relationships with neighbours and more!

Contact Us

the selly express logo

Selly Express

We run a FREE shuttle bus service for a safe and convenient journey home from campus. Show your student ID and tell the driver where you’d like to be dropped off!

Visit Selly Express

the junkbusters logo

Junkbusters

We collect unwanted clothes, books and household items to raise money for national and local charities including the British Heart Foundation and Birmingham Hospice.

Visit Junkbusters

Marks Out of Tenancy logo

Marks Out of Tenancy

An online review platform for tenants to rate and leave feedback about a property, landlord, letting agent and the area they live, to inform other students’ renting decisions.

Visit MOOT

See What's On!

Alongside offering support, we also run a number of community initiatives and events, including planting, canal grapples, self-defence classes, upcycling workshops, yoga sessions, cultural celebrations, sports days, and more.

Explore Upcoming Events

Want to know what’s taking place in your local community? Keep checking here for the latest events and activities for you to enjoy.

Advice and Guidance

We offer advice on keeping yourself and your home safe, waste management, landlord queries, maintaining positive relationships with neighbours and more!

Managing Your Waste

You can report a missed bin collection or report fly-tipping on the Birmingham City Council’s website. It takes all of us to keep Selly clean and safe - every report helps!

Roads With Wheelie Bins

  • Your bin day is Wednesday, so put your bins out on a Tuesday evening ready for collection and bring them back in off the pavement after it has been emptied to keep paths tidy and accessible for those with disabilities and children in pushchairs.
  • Your property has two bins, a black one for household waste and a blue one for recycling. The recycling bin has two sections, the main bin and a paper pod which goes inside.
  • Your normal bin will be collected once a week, visit Birmingham City Council’s website to learn more about recycling.

If you don’t have a paper pod, you can request a replacement paper recycling pod.

Make sure you don’t overfill your bin, or it won’t be taken.

The lid should be fully closed. If you have a large amount of waste, contact your landlord to dispose of it or book a bulky waste collection.

Roads Without Wheelie Bins

  • Your bin day is on Wednesday, so put your bin bags and recycling boxes out on a Tuesday evening and bring the boxes in after they’ve been emptied to keep paths accessible.
  • You need to use black bin bags for household waste, and recycling boxes for your recycling (blue for paper and green for the rest).
  • We recommend leaving your bin bags in a plastic bin in your garden during the week and putting them out as late as possible pre-collection to avoid bags splitting.
  • Your bin bags will be taken once a week, visit Birmingham City Council’s website to learn more about recycling.  

You can request a recycling box online if you don’t have one.

Don’t overfill your recycling boxes or put out an excessive number of bin bags. If you have a large amount of waste, contact your landlord to dispose of it or book a bulky waste collection.

Your Home

Keeping yourself, property and your home safe.

Keep Safe

  • Walk in groups.
  • Avoid wearing headphones at night.
  • Catch the Selly Express.
  • Carry a personal safety alarm. You can pick one up for free from the Guild, as well as window alarms, timer switches for your lights, and door wedges.
  • Lock your windows and doors.
  • If you’ve ordered items online, don’t leave the empty boxes outside your home by the rubbish, this advertises all the new items you have bought.
  • Move any valuable items out of view from your window.
  • Lock your garden gate. If your gate is broken, report it to your landlord or letting agency.
  • Lock your car and opt for secure parking where possible. 

We hope this won’t ever happen, but should you need to report a crime, you can use the following contact details:

In the case of an emergency call 999

For a non-emergency please call 101 or use the 

If you ever need help on or around campus, download the SafeZone app to connect directly with Campus Safety or first responders.

Being A Good Neighbour

  • Go and say hello! Introduce yourself to your neighbours and establish a good relationship by taking the time to get to know them.
  • Turn the noise down by 11pm. If you can hear it outside, it really is too loud. Why not try wearing headphones, turning down the bass, closing your windows and doors, or keeping the activity indoors.
  • Reduce noise in the daytime. Although it’s especially important to keep noise down at night, consider reducing noise in the daytime too to avoid disturbing your neighbours.
  • Let your neighbours know if you’re having a party. It’s polite to let them know in advance if you expect to have a particularly noisy night.
  • Be considerate! Be mindful that many people in the community are not students, and that you live amongst families, business professionals, the elderly, and people from all different cultures and backgrounds.

You can report any anti-social behaviour to the Community Ambassadors or to Birmingham City Council on 0121 303 1111.

Contact Us

If you’d like to get in contact with us, you can do so through any of the following:

Latest Student Deals