Read about the experiences of previous education grant beneficiaries and get hints and tips on how to write a successful application.
Ffion
Ffion is a Maternity Assistant Practitioner working within the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board in Wales. She was applied for an RCN Foundation LV= grant and was awarded £500 towards an aqua natal course to learn how to teach safe and effective classes.
Through an interest in fitness and a desire to improve the lives of women in Wales, Ffion identified aqua natal as a way to implement healthier lives using a holistic approach. “I’ve always wanted to be able to teach and never had the confidence to do it, but this has pushed me to be my best."
Gloria
Gloria was awarded £2,500 towards an Adult Nursing BSc at the University of Hertfordshire. Having worked as a care assistant for over ten years in varied care settings, and wanting to be a nurse since the age of 17, Gloria decided to pursue her dream. She now works as nurse in the uro-oncology research team.
Gloria says, “I want to be there for my patients and their families, supporting them through what is the most vulnerable period in their lives".
Thomas
Thomas is a mental health nurse, working in the Belfast Trust, and was awarded £1600 towards a Post Graduate study in conjunction with the WAVE trauma centre and Cork University, investigating the complexity of trauma with a variety of modules on PTSD, victimology, and addictions.
Thomas said, “as someone who grew up during “The Troubles” and experienced first-hand the trauma associated with it at a very young age, it has had a profound impact on my life". As a mental health nurse working in the Belfast Trust, Thomas has come across many people who have experienced PTSD, addiction, or who have been the victims of a crime. Thanks to his studies, Thomas can deliver more patient centred care and can offer a more holistic approach to care.
Jessica
Jessica is a Midwife working at Kings College Hospital in London. Jessica was awarded an RCN Foundation Deliveroo Education Grant of £205 to fund her continuous professional development and help her gain new skills in perineal repair and practise these skills in a clinical setting. She describes the importance of the grant and how this has increased her confidence:
Jessica is committed to improving outcomes for women and sharing learning with fellow newly qualified midwives. Jessica said: “Doing the course and learning these very practical hands-on skills was so valuable in giving me confidence going forward and feeling technically competent. Continual professional development is essential in a role like this. You are always learning, there are always new situations coming up, so going on a course like this is vital”.
Fartun
Fartun is a Mental Health Nurse working at East London NHS Foundation Trust and was awarded an RCN Foundation Into Nursing grant of £2,500 to support her studies for an MSc in Mental Health Nursing at City University, London. This enabled Fartun to complete her studies and become a newly qualified nurse focusing on helping those with mental ill health. Fartun describes how the grant helped her with her studies and the reason she chose to go into mental health nursing:
Fartun said: “I have always been interested in human behaviour and mental health in particular. Thanks to my studies, and the support from the RCN Foundation, I have been able to build my knowledge base and develop as a person. I now feel more confident in making decisions. When I see a patient progress in their recovery journey, that’s the best part of my job.”
Bally Dhaliwal, RCN Foundation Grants Manager, shares her tips on how to write a successful application:
Those that focus on patients and the impact the activity will have on patient care. In addition, we look at how individuals will disseminate what they’ve learnt from their activity with colleagues and the wider nursing team, whether this is through publication or a presentation at conferences.
We want a well-rounded application putting patients at the centre. We want to see that the activity has been well thought-out in terms of challenges the applicant may face in undertaking it. It’s important individuals think about how they will evaluate the effectiveness of their activity.
Applicants often leave their submissions until the last minute and subsequently miss the deadline. Some applicants copy and paste from other funding applications they may have made, and so do not focus on the specific questions.
Ensure you allow plenty of time to complete the application – really read the questions, and think about your answers. Ensure that you talk about how your activity will improve patient care.
Watch our education grants advice webinar
In this 20-minute webinar, two members of the RCN Foundation grants team explain what can make an education grant application successful.
Katie Slater, Grants Manager and Dr Sarah McGloin, Head of Grants and Impact, share their insight on what works and what doesn't. Recorded October 2021.