Why two social landlords offer university scholarships

‘I’m a care leaver – someone sees that and they might be like, “Oh no, they won’t go to uni”,’ 19-year-old Rhea Mann tells Inside Housing. ‘There needn’t be a stigma though – it shouldn’t matter where you live.’

For Ms Mann, who’s hoping to do a criminology and psychology degree at the University of the West of England (UWE), where she lives is a small block of flats in Trowbridge.

It’s owned by Bath-based housing association Curo. We’re visiting because she’s one of the first applicants to a scholarship scheme the landlord has set up, which will see a resident of one of its properties receiving £9,000 to cover the living costs of a three-year undergraduate course.

The initiative, which has only been established during the past few months, is open to anyone living in one of Curo’s social or affordable rent properties. Applications for the first scholarship closed on 31 March, for candidates hoping to start a degree in September 2015.

Enabling independence

So why should social landlords be dabbling in scholarships? In Curo’s case, according to organisational development manager Donna Warr, it’s because the association has set a goal of ‘enabling independent, successful lives’ for its tenants.

Curo didn’t, however, come up with the scholarship idea on its own. Aster Group, which has 26,000 homes across the south-west and Hampshire, is now into the third year of a similar scheme (see box) – which Curo sought advice on before starting its programme. Paul Smith, Aster’s head of intelligence and insight, says it’s all part of his employer’s objective to ‘raise aspiration’ among residents.

‘We’re trying to do what reasonably well-off parents do for their kids,’ he says. ‘We spoke to people in higher education, who said that people from poorer backgrounds need money, but also contacts and work experience that can help them compete with those whose parents are well connected.’

This point leads into some of the differences between the two scholarships on offer. Both feature £9,000 of financial assistance, and are targeting occupants – of any age – of social or affordable rent homes. Both scholarships are paid for from the associations’ surpluses, with the cost gradually increasing from £3,000 to £9,000 – at which point it should plateau as the first year’s winner graduates.

Aster’s scholarship, though, includes summer internships with the landlord or one of its suppliers – and an optional year’s employment at Aster at the end of the degree on the living wage. Curo offers similar opportunities, though not as part of the scholarship package. The rationale, says Ms Warr, is to keep her scheme as strings-free as possible to maximise appeal.

Slow burner

Application processes also diverge slightly. Both Mr Smith and Ms Warr are keen to stress that their scholarships are open to people looking to study any subject they like.

“It’s frustrating to see people who are talented not reaching the university environment.”

John Ryan, associate professor, UWE

In Aster’s case, though – with an eye on those future placements – applicants are asked to consider how their degree might relate to the landlord’s work. Two students have been awarded Curo scholarships so far, with the first studying law (see box) and the second electrical engineering.

Asked about take-up, Mr Smith and Ms Warr choose the same expression – a ‘slow burn’ – with Aster looking at six or more applications this time around (its scheme is open until 13 April) and Curo confident of an initial 12 this year. Various publicity methods are being trialled, including contact with local colleges, tenant magazine mailshots, social media and, in Ms Mann’s case, a nudge from her support worker – also a Curo employee.

‘We need to ask, how big is our catchment?’ says Ms Warr. ‘We’ve 12,000 homes, so how many residents are in the right situation?’ Mr Smith says that in Aster’s case, around 2% of residents – some 1,700 – are around school leaving age.

When Inside Housing contacts The Scholarship Hub, a national portal that helps students identify sources of funding, the director Karen Kennard says she’s not surprised the landlords have got off to a gradual start.

‘If you apply to a university, you’ll probably get told about financial assistance relating to that establishment,’ she says. ‘But there are lots of more general scholarships that people don’t realise exist, so are undersubscribed.’

But a patient approach is likely to bear fruit, according to John Ryan, an associate professor at UWE’s education department. He’s in the process of studying the relative success of different community interventions, ranging from one-off ‘feelgood’ events to apprenticeships, on Aster’s behalf. 

The scholarships idea, he says, ticks lots of positive boxes. It targets a specific group, is based around a clear concept of change, involves buy-in from both young people and their families, and focuses on life skills.

‘It could light a touchpaper,’ he says. ‘It’s frustrating to see people who are talented and capable not reaching the university environment.’

With inequality of opportunity a hot topic, should more social landlords be getting on the scholarship bandwagon? ‘Why not?’ asks Paul Hackett, director of the Smith Institute think-tank – provided scholarships aren’t funded at the expense of core services.

‘It’s good to see people looking at things beyond offering a safety net,’ he says.

‘It won’t change the world, but can make a significant difference to a number of people,’ Mr Hackett goes on. ‘It goes into the mix of [ways that] housing associations wear their hearts on their sleeves; another small sign they still care about communities and tenants.’

Back in Trowbridge, Ms Mann agrees. ‘I know friends who’ve looked at courses and said, “I can’t actually pay that” – it’s quite a big thing for some people.’