Social Action Bursary
At Staffordshire University, we place students at the heart of everything we do, and supporting the Horizon Fund, helps support every student with ambitions and aspirations to be the very best they can be, and take a step towards their brighter future. This is a belief that echoes across our connected community - with the many donations of gift, time, and opportunities, our students have experienced the generosity of our donors and have already achieved incredible things.
One-way students are supported via the Horizon fund is through the Social Action Bursary.
Through research, policy, collaboration and practical solutions, JRF aims to inspire action and change that will create a prosperous UK without poverty, where more people want to understand and solve poverty, and more people find a route out of poverty through work and a better system of social security, to live in a decent, affordable home.
Sarah Campbell, Head of Participation and Advocacy at Joseph Rowntree Foundation, shares what she hopes the bursaries will achieve:
“At JRF we understand the difficulties of accessing qualifications, and how living and study costs can be a massive barrier to people who want to take the time out to retrain. It’s important to have sufficient time to concentrate on your studies, and we hope that our bursaries will make a big difference for students.”
"Since last semester I have learned a lot more about poverty and hardship within the UK. I also passed my first assignment with a 1st. I use the funds from the bursary to buy new books I needed to help with my university I work, and I was also able to have a few extra days of work so I could concentrate on my university studies It really did take a bit of pressure of me financial wise. I thank you again for the bursary."
- Sherry
"The bursary money I got helped me a lot in purchasing my work station, which included my desk, chair, stationery and a top of the range desktop. This work station has been of a great help, it helped me to focus and study better and not relying on the local library one or having to share the one I had with my kids which kept on crashing most of the times. This was such a great relief the day I purchased it, once again thank you so much."
- Ishbel
"University has been a great place for me and although I last had any formal education since 1979 I feel that I have done well. Working my way around a computer has been hard but I’m really proud of what I can do now, PowerPoints are my favourite things to do. I put some towards a laptop, I bought a printer and some books I needed plus a pair of reading glasses I was desperate for, I did put some aside for taxis for when my legs where bad and I couldn’t drive so I didn’t miss any classes. I also used a small amount towards a few clothes that I though would help me fit into uni life and not come across as old and frumpy. All this has helped me to settle in with no worries and for this I am very grateful."
- Karen
"I first would like to thank you for the bursary as this has helped me massively. In the first semester I realize the impact on Poverty and I myself have lost my job so I am beginning to realize how a low-income impacts on families. I spent the money on books etc. for my studies and helped pay towards my cost of living. Once again thank you so much."
- Catherine
"Thank you so much for the bursary. It has helped get me started on the first semester. I purchased a laptop and saved some for parking & food expenses at uni. The first semester has been great. I have learned so much about how poverty is more an issue than people realise. I think it's vital that we raise awareness to stop the stigma attached to people in poverty. Next year I want to focus on finding a voluntary placement to support my studies, meeting people with real-life stories, and helping them to become heard."
- Laura