Student Hardship - Revive
Our Student Hardship - Revive Grants launched in 2021, to help address the rising demand for financial and emotional support amongst our students as a result of the Covid-10 pandemic.
The Grants were designed to ensure our students have everything they need to thrive and not just survive through projects which focus on mental health, wellbeing, and employability.
With thanks to our incredible donor community, we were able to fund six Revive Grants in 2022, supporting extremely important projects across campus.
Songs I Want To Play - Live
Songs I Want To Play began as a remote, lockdown project for session musicians who rearrange and reimagine classic songs with added visual art. The project has since progressed to over 20 video releases and 500,000 views on YouTube.
The live show was designed to build on the success of their videos, to create one of the largest multi-disciplinary collaborations the University has ever seen.
The collaboration between musicians and artists provided a space for students from our Music; Film, TV and Stage Design; Animation; and Technical Theatre programmes to work alongside one another and industry professionals to create bespoke work for the live project.
The team ran two live performances of their long-awaited gig in our New Adelphi Theatre of Friday 4 November and Saturday 5 November 2022, with brilliant feedback from their fans!
"We are extremely grateful to have benefited from the donor scheme and would like to thank each donor for their generous gift. The fund has enabled a never-before seen project to take off through the tireless contribution of academics, students, and alumni."
Adelina Court, Lecturer in Costume Design, Animation, and Film, TV and Stage Design
Trans (and LGBTQ+) Visbility
Led by Niki Woods in our School of Arts, Media and Creative Technology, this project was designed to support our LGBTQ+ community to feel safe, through a student - colleague - public facing campaign that celebrates 'otherness' and creates a safe place for people to share their stories.
Thanks to the funding, Niki commissioned a Salford Media and Performance graduate, Ben Hodge, who identifies as Trans to work with our students and also connected with the University's Student Experience and Support team to identify the needs of our LGBTQ+ community.
To help raise awareness, the team have used student stories to inform the production of a film about life on campus as a Trans student. The film has been shown at a couple of internal events, including the 'Making Policing a Safer Space for Trans People' session for our BSc Professional Policing students, and will also feature at an equality, diversity and inclusion event in early 2023. They have also created a range of collateral, from a poster campaign to tote bags and lanyards.
"From our staff and students, we can't thank you enough for the support you've given. This opportunity has allowed us to work across University departments with a shared aim of creating a safe and supportive space for a LGBTQ+ community. It's also allowed our students and graduates to work together to bring the film together. Thank you, this has made such a lasting impact."
Niki Woods, Artistic Director New Adelphi Theatre and Senior Lecturer in Performance
Four of the Revive Grant projects are still underway, and we look forward to reporting on their full impact early next year:
- Community Growing Project
- Stretcher Bank
- Nature Connection for Mental Health & Wellbeing
- SALFORD Future Global Leaders
The programme will enable our School of Science, Engineering and Environment to enhance the experience of international postgraduate students, with activities focused on improving engagement and integration.
Students will benefit from subject-specific workshops; guided excursions of local museums and nature trails; and engagement with local events. The project will then end with the 'Their Stories' conference and exhibition, where participants will have the opportunity to share their journey.
Managed by Niki Colclough, a lecturer in Socially Engaged Practice, this project will support students in caring for and maintaining their mental and emotional wellbeing through the practice of nature connection.
Niki will guide students through a series of workshops before encouraging them to take the reins, consolidating their experience by delivering a public workshop for the local community.
The project will also signpost students to interesting, valuable volunteering opportunities in Salford, through a partnership with RHS Bridgewater Garden, improving their employability.
The Stretcher Bank project, led by Brendan Fletcher, Senior Lecturer and Art & Design Subject Head at the University, will see an investment into over 150 museum quality stretcher bars for students to borrow during their studies.
A high quality stretcher is made from seasoned wood, in laminated sections to ensure it is hardwearing and can last a lifetime; the Stretcher Bank is, therefore, something several cohorts of our students will benefit from over the coming years.
We are extremely proud of this project which enables students to use quality, professional materials, without being burdened with the cost, which has risen as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Delivered by our Environmental Sustainability team and Growing Togetherness CIC, the project will provide students with a platform for learning and collaboration, with a focus on wellbeing, sustainability, and employability.
Given the restrictions many of us experienced as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the project provides a safe way for students to socialise, express themselves, and contribute to the local community and environment. They will also gain practical gardening skills, benefit from life coach and therapeutic horticulture sessions, and participate in a Green Summat in Spring 2023.