Two emergency housing locations provided by the RUG are now completely full
The organisation “Shelter Our Students” (S.O.S.) has started taking care of homeless international students in Groningen through its couch-surfing initiative. Separately, news has emerged that the first two emergency shelter locations for international students are now full. As reported by the GIC.
SOS was founded by various student organisations, including ROOD Groningen, GSb, Lijst Calimero; DAG, and JS. The organisations clubbed together after realising that the emergency shelters provided by the RUG and Gemeente would not be enough for all prospective first-year international students.
Martinihouse and The Village now full
On Friday it was announced that the emergency shelter locations at the Martinihouse and The Village are full. The Budget Hostel still has reserved beds available, but they too are quickly being booked.
There are currently five times as many student applications as sleeping places available.
Nothing extra arranged
“It’s really essential that people sign up as hosts. We must prevent these people from becoming homeless,” says spokesman Marinus Jongman. “Until now, nothing has been arranged for these students and they might have to sleep at the station.”
Many students who come to Groningen spend their first nights in hostels or hotels. According to S.O.S. more than twenty hostels or hotels in the city are full or almost full.
“Students really won’t be able to go anywhere in the future. More sleeping places need to be arranged. With us (by getting more hosts), or by expanding the emergency shelter”, says Jonkman.
