FAQ’s

HOW DO YOU PAY TUITION, ENROLMENT, REGISTRATION AND EXAMINATION FEES?

-These grants are usually paid directly to your place of study.

HOW IS THE GENERAL LIVING EXPENSES ALLOCATED DURING TRAINING?

– Grants are paid directly to successful applicants, usually into their bank accounts. These can be contributions towards the cost of accommodation, food, and groceries, household bills, travel to college, etc.

CAN A CLAIM BE MADE FOR SPECIFIC ITEMS AND ONE-OFF COSTS?

– Yes, we can make awards for essential tools and items of equipment. Where a grant has been made for something specific (such as for childcare or to pay for some tools), payments are usually made directly to the supplier, on receipt of invoices.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY LOW-WAGED FAMILIES?

– Young people who grow up in low-waged homes face major barriers in their lives and life chances, especially when it comes to finding and paying for the kind of training and work opportunities they want. This is why our grants need to reach applicants from families who have been dependent on benefits or on low wages for years.

Applicants must come from families where the gross annual household income is under £26,000 and has been so for some years. We cannot accept requests from anyone who does not come from this kind of financial background.

It also means that we are unable to help in instances where a family living in relative affluence has fallen temporarily on hard times.

We ask all applicants about their family’s financial circumstances, no matter how old they are, or if they now live independently. The only exceptions are where family relationships have broken down and/or if applicants are parted from their family (e.g., through seeking asylum). We will confirm this when approaching applicants’ referees in confidence.

DO YOU INTERVIEW PEOPLE?

– No, we wish we could meet all applicants face-to-face to learn more about their particular needs, but this is not possible. Instead we rely on referees to tell us more about each applicant’s unique circumstances.

As part of our application process, we ask applicants to provide us with contact details for two referees. One is usually a recent teacher, tutor or employer – someone who is well placed to talk about the applicant’s potential to complete their chosen training course and find the job they want.

The second reference is more personal, because we ask for information about the applicant’s personal/home circumstances. This is especially important where young people have become estranged or parted from their families. Suitable people to nominate include:

  • Support worker
  • Social worker
  • Church leader
  • Mentor/coach/adviser
  • Previous employer
  • A family friend

We prefer applicants not to forward pre-prepared reference letters to us. This is because we ask specific questions and need to be sure that each reference is up-to-date.

We do not disclose information about any applicant’s background or personal finances to anyone outside the Charity. However, we need to tell referees who we are and what we do, so that they fully understand why they are being asked to support individual grant applications.

Do you charge interest on the loans?

– Very rarely, but we occasionally consider making an interest-free loan to help someone with a temporary cash flow problem. We then have to be sure the loan can be paid back within a specified period.

CAN I APPLY TO MORE THAN ONE CHARITY?

– Yes.We encourage applicants to research and apply to as many charities as they can.

Many charities like ours work together to help someone to realise their ambitions. We all rely on beneficiaries keeping us up to date about their successes in obtaining funds from other sources.

Applying to other charities will not jeopardise your chances of receiving an award, so long as you still have costs to cover

 Do you have a deadline?

– No, applications are considered on a first-come, first-served basis. Our funds are limited, and applicants are therefore strongly encouraged to submit their application as soon as possible

How do you make decisions regarding applications for support?

The Board of Directors and Trustees will consider applications throughout the year, the months are as follows:

September 2014   December 2014    March 2015

June 2015      September 2015    December 2015

DO YOU HAVE A DEADLINE?

– No, applications are considered on a first-come, first-served basis. Our funds are limited, and applicants are therefore strongly encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible.

HOW DO YOU MAKE DECISIONS REGARDING APPLICATIONS FOR SUPPORT?

The Board of Directors and Trustees will consider applications throughout the year, the months are as follows: September 2014 December 2014 March 2015 June 2015 September 2015 December 2015