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Inspiring Futures Fund

What is the Inspiring Futures Fund (IFF)? 

Students who are registered on our Build Your Future scheme have access to the Inspiring Futures Fund. It's a fund administered by the Careers, Employability and Enterprise Team, to help students with the costs associated with taking part in career development related activities such as Work Experience, Research Projects, or Continuing Professional Development (CPD). The aim is to remove some of the financial barriers that students may face which prevent them accessing career-related opportunities. The scheme supports low or unpaid work experience and other career development-related activities that can be in the UK or overseas.

Completing relevant work experience or Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities whilst still a student is important in supporting future careers. Work experience helps build skills, knowledge, and confidence in the workplace, whilst CPD can improve professional skills, knowledge or experience through attending conferences, training courses or workshops.

Please note:

  • Priority may be given to students who have not previously received funding.

Work Experience...

... will help you learn
Experimenting with different types of experiences will help you to get to know more about your likes, dislikes, values, priorities, and strengths as well as learning more about different types of work to help you to make decisions about your future career. The more experiences you've had, the more learning and development that will happen as a result.

 

... is a safe place to experiment
You can invest your time volunteering or working in part-time roles and summer jobs as a chance to try new things and to road-test a career option.

 

... could be evidence of your passion
You can show that you are genuinely interested in that area of work. A great thing to put on your CV when you start to apply for graduate jobs.

 

... can help to get you connected
Work experience could introduce you to the person who will point you in the right direction in terms of possible roles you can apply for.

 

... makes you more successful in applications and interviews
Applicants with work experience usually outperform those with no work experience. Prospective employers will ask questions about your work experience, knowledge, and interest in the job during the selection process work experience will help provide clear examples and evidence of this.

If an activity is connected with your future career development, it will be considered, here are a few examples of the types of activities that have previously been supported: 

  • Extracurricular work experience, insight days, internships, volunteering
  • Attending interviews or assessment centres
  • Attending relevant summer schools
  • Relevant training courses
  • Attending relevant conferences or events
  • Running or taking part in a relevant research project
  • If you’re not sure your chosen activity is eligible, please contact the CEE team via Minerva 

 

What expenses can the Inspiring Futures Fund support?

The IFF can help with costs to enable participation in the above activities which could include:

  • Reasonable travel costs to/from the activity (In the UK or Overseas)
    • Please note: Any Taxi/Uber use needs specific prior approval.
  • Medical Requirements/Vaccinations
  • Insurance
  • Visa/Permit
  • Living costs and utilities bills connected with the activity
  • Accommodation associated with the activity
  • Professional clothing required for the activity
  • Dependent care costs (see below)
    • Please note: Dependent care costs are those associated to costs incurred to find suitable support and care for children or dependent relatives during the activity. You will need to provide evidence of the provider and their applicable certifications e.g. OFSTED registration if an IFF payment is contributing towards childcare. Please contact the CEE Team via Minerva

 

Exclusions:

The work experience must not:

  • Be an activity organised by the University eg trips or elective placements.
  • Form part of a degree programme e.g. work-based learning modules or those undertaking professional practice placements within Health and Professional courses.
  • Exceed 16 hours per week term time, or above 40 hours per week during holiday periods (and for those with a Tier 4 visa, do not exceed the working hour allowance set out within your visa).
  • Promote or endorse illegal activity.
  • Be immoral, unethical, offensive, or otherwise detrimental to the University’s reputation or interests.
  • Relate to a pyramid, multi-level marketing or similar style selling scheme.
  • Represent an undue health and safety risk.
  • Involve writing or sharing academic related material for use by other students.

The University will assess the suitability of the Activity as part of the application process and its decision is final. Activities that the University deems ineligible or unsuitable will not be supported; however, you will be signposted to relevant support services, including the CEE team, to support you in finding an alternative appropriate opportunity.

 

Please note: Unpaid opportunities will only be supported if it can be evidenced by the employer that the placement does not contravene National Minimum Wage regulations. The University of Suffolk Careers and Employability Team do not endorse unpaid opportunities that may contravene National Minimum Wage regulations and would urge students considering unpaid opportunities to contact the Careers, Employability and Enterprise team to discuss in further detail. Further information about unpaid work experience and your rights can be found on TARGETjobs.