Poetry slams and open mics, a refugee business hackathon and a young person’s stroke support group are just some of the activities the UWE Bristol Fund is proud to be supporting this year.
Supporting social purpose
The five projects funded this year are all are set to have a big impact on local society, and provide great learning and networking opportunities for our students.
Each project is designed to help local communities prosper and is a collaborative effort between students, staff, the local community and a partner organisation.
The long-term sustainability of projects is also important. We hope this is just the start of these five new partnerships, which will continue to build and deliver value to all involved going forward.
Find out a bit more about the projects we’re supporting (in no particular order):
1. Words on Board
Designed to widen participation in poetry, spoken and written word, this collaboration spans both workshops and performance. Working with local spoken word organisation Satellite of Love, students will partner with schools, local community members and poets. The week of events is from 26 June to 1 July, based at John Sebastian Lightship boat in Bristol city centre.
2. Independent Prescribing
The Independent Prescribing course team started working with the Brandon Trust last year to improve inclusivity within their curriculum. This project aims to encourage our students to identify, address and engage more widely in the needs of those with learning disabilities and/or autism.
The funding will enable UWE Bristol students on the course to work with the experts – Brandon’s Adventurers, a group of young people and adults with a learning disability, autism or both, who are supported and employed by the charity – to make recommendations to improve the curriculum. Research outcomes will be published and materials co-created, aimed at communicating best inclusive practice in prescribing for people with a learning disability. The materials will be shared with all prescribers trained at UWE Bristol, currently about 550 health care clinicians every year.
3. Cultivate Community Arts
This project team will partner with CentreSpace Gallery, to create a programme of community arts workshops offered by a team of emerging artists including students, graduates and local young people.
The workshops leaders will design and deliver the sessions, gaining skills in community art project delivery, supported by a team of experienced visual arts students and staff from UWE Bristol as well as Centre Space Gallery staff. The project also aims to provide young artists with professional networks and skills for a collaborative practice.
Workshops will take place in key local community arts spaces including the Chocolate Factory in Easton.
4. Stroke Survivors
This project aims to address the gap in service provision for younger people affected by stroke. A monthly social peer support group will be initiated by a collaborative team made up of local young people whose lives have been affected by a stroke, UWE Bristol students and staff, and staff from partner organisation Bristol After Stroke.
A multi-profession approach will be fostered by engaging students from diverse courses who have an interest in healthcare stroke service. It is hoped this project will create a partnership and provision that will have longstanding benefits not just for young people who have suffered a stroke but also for students and staff.
5. Migrant Entrepreneurs
This project will unite the expertise and knowledge of our business and law students with the ambition of local migrants and refugee businesses and start-ups.
UWE Bristol students and staff will collaborate with local partner organisation Ashley Community Housing (ACH), whose vision is to empower refugees and migrants who reside in the UK to lead self-sufficient and ambitious lives.
A hackathon event will be organised, with students providing free business support, advice and networking to boost enterprise in ACH’s client group, who face multiple barriers. Clients will be identified through ACH’s business support programme.
About the UWE Bristol Fund
Donations to the UWE Bristol Fund provide vital grants to our students and local communities.
The UWE Bristol Fund awards grants of up to £3,000 for community partnership projects which help to achieve the following aims:
- build relationships between staff, students and local communities
- develop opportunities for students to volunteer in the local community and enhance teamwork, communication and project management skills
- develop opportunities to enhance student learning through practical, community-based projects
- develop projects which will have significant impact for the Bristol region.
The UWE Bristol Community Grant is jointly funded with the Quartet Community Foundation.
For more information, contact communityfund@uwe.ac.uk