Getting out of bed in a morning is not a problem for a band of community-minded students who are ditching daytime TV and pitching in with a host of projects across York. Education reporter Haydn Lewis looks at the work of an innovative partnership between higher education providers in the city.

THERE was a time when students had a reputation as scruffy layabouts who slept in until Deal Or No Deal was on the TV and numbered drinking pints and collecting street furniture among their hobbies.

This opinion, according to the York's universities and colleges, is fast becoming outdated.

Higher York is a partnership between Askham Bryan College, the University of York, York College, York St John University and the City of York Council that has been forging links between the institutions and local community groups.

In January of 2005, the partnership received about £1 million to build on previous activities and to pilot a Lifelong Learning Network (LLN) in York and North Yorkshire and promote opportunities for everyone in Higher Education (HE).

They insist that it is easy to just see students as stereotypes, and claim York students range from 18-year-olds to 80-year-olds. Many already live in York while others come from all over the world. There is, in fact, nothing typical' about them.

York St John University vice-chancellor Dianne Willcocks praised students' work in the community.

"Their presence is also a big boost to the local economy," she said.

"Importantly, students come to higher education in York as local people who will contribute more effectively to their community or as newcomers who may spend between three and 30 years dedicating their talents to the public good of York and North Yorkshire."

Students from York St John University regularly remove graffiti from surrounding residential areas such as The Groves.

Last month also saw university RAG activities, with all the money raised being donated to two local and two national charities.

Recently, student volunteers at York College helped to raise and donate more than £1,800 for St Leonard's Hospice, in York, by taking part in a bag packing day at ASDA, organised by the hospice.

They have also been working on a project called Right To Read with Woodthorpe Primary School - where in excess of 30 students go into the school to help develop reading skills.

A particular success story has been The University of York's Making Space At Fulford Youth Room project, which won the team award at the Regional Millennium Volunteer Of The Year awards ceremony, held in Leeds in January 2007.

Four University of York students supported a group of seven sixth-form students from Fulford School in the much-needed renovation of Fulford Youth Room.

The volunteers have been creating a multi-purpose area with three distinct zones - quiet, chill-out and active - making the Youth Room accessible to young people.

Looking ahead, the students are planning to set up a committee to oversee the upkeep of the youth room and support youth-led activities for young people from the local area.

Higher York was one of the first LLNs funded by HEFCE (the Higher Education Funding Council for England) and it aims to increase vocational participation in higher education.