Talent is everywhere, opportunity isn’t: why we launched the Social Housing Scholarships Programme

Managed by Blackbullion, the UK’s largest scholarships hub, this programme will allow 14 social housing residents starting undergraduate courses connected to housing, homes and communities to receive £6,000 a year in financial support for three years.

Crucially, however, the programme goes beyond funding. It offers mentoring to build confidence, leadership development, paid work experience and a sense of belonging.

The benefits of this are highlighted by research conducted by The Sutton Trust in 2023, which showed that potential scholars don’t just need funding – they need self-belief, opportunity and a sense they genuinely belong. 

“We are more than landlords. We are anchor institutions with deep community relationships, trusted networks and the ability to convene partners around a shared purpose”

For me, this programme represents a shift in how we think about our role as housing associations.

We are more than landlords. We are anchor institutions with deep community relationships, trusted networks and the ability to convene partners around a shared purpose. When we pool that influence – as Clarion, Hyde, MTVH, L&Q, Peabody, Places for People and Riverside have done here – we can create interventions that are genuinely transformative.

What makes this programme different is not only its scale, but its design. It has been shaped with young people at its heart, drawing on The Sutton Trust’s national research.

This research highlighted the realities of higher education: the pressure of rent and food costs, the fear of not being “chosen” and the value of real‑world experience. These insights directly informed the programme’s structure, ensuring it is accessible, relevant and empowering. 

This is not simply about helping 14 scholars. It is about demonstrating what becomes possible when we remove barriers and invest in potential.

It is also about creating a long‑term, sustainable model – one that I hope might grow into a sector‑wide scholarship fund enabling brilliant people of all ages across the country to achieve their ambitions. 

“Scholars will gain financial stability, confidence and lifelong networks. Housing associations will strengthen their relationships with residents and partners”

We hope the programme’s impact will be both immediate and enduring. Scholars will gain financial stability, confidence and lifelong networks. Housing associations will strengthen their relationships with residents and partners. And over time, a growing alumni community will become visible role models – proof of what can happen when talent is recognised and supported. 

This initiative invites us, as a sector, to think bigger about our social purpose. Not in terms of filling skills gaps or diversifying recruitment pipelines – though those benefits should follow – but in terms of unlocking opportunity, strengthening communities and helping people build the futures they deserve.

Ultimately, this is about long‑term change. By opening up pathways into meaningful careers in housing, we’re investing in a more diverse generation of future professionals who will help shape stronger, thriving communities.

Shelley Hathaway-Batt, head of strategic partnerships and projects, Clarion Futures