The Wiltshire charity bridging the gap to higher education for students
Wiltshire Community Foundation are helping young people chase their dreams
A charity in Wiltshire is supporting nearly 200 young people attending higher education from low-income families.
Wiltshire Community Foundation (WCF) offer disadvantaged young people bursaries to help with the costs associated with going to university.
Less than 40% of young people from Wiltshire and Swindon go on to study at higher education, WCF's grants manager Nicola Hillier told Greatest Hits Radio.
Despite an increase in student finance from the Government, higher inflation has left some students close £1500 worse off each year, and that's where WCF step in offering their bursary support to help students bridge the gap.
Nicola told us it allows students to focus on their studies.
"(The students) tell us the support we provide is really making a difference to them, helping them with everyday necessities such as food, paying their fuel bills as well as purchasing books or travel."
It takes away the financial worry and means the students don't have to take on part-time work to make ends meet while at university.
One of those students is Charly Richards, a Photography graduate at Coventry University. She said the education bursary allowed her to make the most of her time at uni.
“Not having to work during my course allowed me time to study extra courses outside university as I prepared to go into the job market. I studied for a Google certificate in marketing and app development and coding and looking back, I think that did help me secure my job. Without the grant I wouldn’t have had time for that.
“I wouldn’t have achieved as much as I did and I wouldn’t have as much time to apply for graduate jobs. When you are working during your course you just don’t have time to rest and knowing I had the grant gave me the extra time to think about what’s coming next.”
Nicola told us she feels 'really privileged' to be in a role where she can help support so many students.
"It really is a wonderful feeling to know that they've gone on, they've graduated and they've achieved what they'd hoped to," she said.
The Foundation has been supporting young people's education aspirations since 2008 and has awarded more than £2m in grants, including £350,000 to 67 students last year.
The programme awards £1,600 for each year of university to students under 25, who must be eligible for funding through Student Finance England and planning to study – or are already studying – for a first undergraduate degree at a UK university or institution.
Applications for the 2024/25 academic year are open, with the deadline Friday 5th April 2024 and can be filled out on the charity's website.
They are open to people aged between 17 and 24 who have lived in Wiltshire for at least two years. Applicants or their parent/carer must be in receipt of two means-tested benefits or two elements of Universal Credit.
"It can be daunting applying for a grant," Nicola said, "but we help people throughout the process so you know, we really do hope people's hands and guide them through the process that way and we speak to everyone who has applied just so we can fully understand their needs, what they're planning to do and also offer them some other advice and support about grants out there and are available as well."