Tackling inequalities across society and creating a fairer world

Helping people survive, then thrive

How many of the challenges that prevent people living their lives fully can we solve?

One family welcomes another with flowers and hugsBirmingham’s researchers are dedicated to finding new ways to to help people can live safe, happier lives and achieve their goals, without facing unnecessary barriers. This ranges from finding ways to overcome major problems, such as homelessness and escaping abuse, to helping people make the most of their talents in sports or music, removing barriers such as financial hardship. We have proved that our work makes a difference, from our autism research, which is being used to improve teaching in schools, to the number of Commonwealth Games medallists supported by a sports scholarship at Birmingham. 

Just a few examples of what you can do

  • Sanctuary scholarships: How do you go to university in the middle of a warzone? You can support students who have sought refuge in the UK and are unable to access mainstream UK student funding. The University has already supported students from Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Eswatini.
  • Keeping refugees safe: The SEREDA project looks for ways to protect forced migrants from sexual and gender-based violence as they flee warzones. At this vulnerable time, many are at risk of sexual assault, modern slavery and sex trafficking. You could help improve policy for how refugees are treated, help international humanitarian organisations offer services for survivors on the move and advocate for trauma-sensitive treatment of survivors once in refuge.
  • Financial wellbeing, poverty and debt: Birmingham’s Centre on Household Assets and Savings Management (CHASM) is identifying how we can support the most financially vulnerable, provide fairer pay for key workers and get through the cost-of-living crisis.
  • Addiction recovery: Birmingham is the only University in the UK to offer dedicated support for students who are recovering from addictions. The support for students includes a "recovery flat" where students with different addictions live together to help them complete their studies while staying addiction-free.

How you can help

  • You could support a refugee to study at Birmingham, by covering their full tuition-fee and £5,000 to help with living costs
  • You could fund a PhD student to help deliver the work of the SEREDA or CHASM projects
  • You could support students in their recovery from addiction

Get in touch to start a conversation about how you could help more people overcome the barriers they face and then thrive, not just survive.

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