FTO's Secure £540k Cost of Living Support for Students
It may be drawing to the end of the academic year, but your Full-Time Officer team are still working hard – focused on improving your academic experience for the year ahead. Over the past few months, they’ve been working alongside the University of Bristol to secure £540k of additional funding for a number of schemes to support your student experience.
Please see below to find out more about the co-created opportunities that will be offered as a result of this funding from the university. As we enter into the 2024-25 academic year, we will make sure to update you on the progress of each scheme and how it may be able to support you.
Private Sector Accommodation
As confirmed by our latest Housing Report Results, we know that the demand for private-sector accommodation support is extremely high. This £75k funding from the university will enable us to provide support in the private accommodation sector through a new independent accommodation advice service.
Subsidised Food Offers
We know that the university’s soup offer and the hot food offer in the Balloon Bar and Hawthorns are popular with students, so we’d love to continue these both into the new year and beyond. With funding agreed by the university, we are one step closer to this goal.
We’re currently exploring additional subsidised food offers with the university catering team and look forward to updating you on this.
Activity Hardship Fund
In another scheme to support students, your Full-Time Officers have worked with the university to secure £40k additional funding for our Activity Hardship Fund. We know that there has been an ongoing, increasing demand for this fund – with £70k applied for in the past year.
This increase, alongside £20k from the Students’ Union, will allow 260 additional students to be supported – with the maximum award being increased to £200, which covers full membership fees for several clubs and societies.
Welcome Events
Welcome is a core part of the university experience for many new students – who meet each other, the University and the Students’ Union for the first time.
Last year, we hosted 104 events – 50% of which were free. Only 19 events cost more than £5 per ticket.
The university has offered funding of £20k. which we hope will increase the number of free Welcome events for students to 70%.
Gender Expression Fund
£5k of funding from the university will be used as a Gender Expression Fund – to provide our trans students with support in their transition and/or their gender expression. Details of what this will cover are still being confirmed.
We understand that there is a lack of access to healthcare, and additional financial burdens, for trans people in the UK and we want to be able to support our students who are experiencing this where possible.
Finance Assistance Fund
The remaining funding, totalling around £250k, will be allocated to the University’s Financial Assistance Fund. This could provide students in financial hardship with up to £750 per term based on their circumstances.
