Atom Futures Fund: an update on Part One

Back in April, we launched the Atom Futures Fund, a new initiative in partnership with the County Durham Community Foundation to improve access to higher education for young people in County Durham. The Fund offers targeted support to sixth form students from low-income backgrounds (those eligible for free school meals or equivalent) and those in the care system. The Fund is open to applications from all eligible state school students in yr12 (first year of sixth form) and aims to increase the proportion of young people from the County who include at least one Russell Group University (the 24 research intensive universities in the UK) in their UCAS application.

We have created and are supporting this fund as one of our many offers to young people in the region, and it is not a signal that Atom only wants to support university students or take graduates from Russell Group universities into our team. Instead it’s a reaction to the fact that the NE sixth formers make a disproportionately low number of applications to these universities and that the marked and knowable benefit - measured in terms of wellbeing and life outcomes - from attending these universities is currently not being taken advantage of by as many young people from the region as there could/should be. The fund is about promoting excellence, and getting rid of some of the barriers that exclude.

We’ve funded 100% of applications for Part One

The Fund is in two parts - part one is an incentive to apply to a Russell Group university, and part two offers further support if a place is taken up and study continues into the second term and beyond.

We’re thrilled to announce that we have now funded 100% of applications for Part One, awarding the money to 13 students in total. Each of these students has received a £250 award after providing proof of application and a letter of support from a teacher or advocate within their school. We have not placed any restrictions on the use of the money in part one or part two - this is about building capability and confidence, not about determining how people in their late teens should spend money.

When we shared this good news with the successful applicants, we had some fantastic responses from bright, ambitious students who have dreams of attending university, such as this one:

“The Atom Futures Fund recognises that ability, not background, is what matters. You putting your faith in me is not something I take lightly. It means that you see me for who I am, and believe my potential is a worthy investment.”

One of the key Atom people is Cameron Fyfe, our ESG Analyst. He said:

“We’re thrilled to be able to award so many worthy applicants in County Durham with support under Part One of the Atom Futures Fund.

“There can be many barriers to applying to University when growing up in a low-income household, and the Fund helps to overcome some of these. It makes a real difference.”

What’s next for the Fund?

Part Two of the Atom Futures Fund provides £1,000 to each new, successful applicant who takes up their offer and starts attending their chosen university.

This will be provided at the start of their second term (after Christmas) in the first year of the course — a time that is often a cash squeeze for students and a peak moment for students deciding to drop out of university.

We want the young people that we support to go on and complete their course. The evidence all points to a really substantial increase in longevity, wellbeing and social mobility for those who do finish their studies, and at the moment too many young people from low income backgrounds or who have grown up in care are missing out on these life changing opportunities.

We’ll share more on the progress of the Atom Futures Fund as we progress through the year. If you would like to find out more about the fund or how to apply, please visit the County Durham Community Foundation website.