One Stop has launched a scholarship programme designed to provide opportunities for young people from its communities and to support social mobility.
The One Stop Scholarship Programme will provide four young people, from low-income households – studying an undergraduate degree in online, technology or sustainability – with support, guidance, and financial assistance throughout their university life.
One Stop has been working in partnership with Groundwork to develop and set up the application process and criteria and follows a successful trial with two students who have currently been enrolled on the programme from 2021.
The One Stop scholarship programme brings together the following elements of support:
- Financial assistance: A bursary of £15,000, which will take some of the pressure off the rising costs of higher education
- Paid internships: Students will receive two paid internships during their university summer holidays in the areas of Online, Technology or Sustainability, enabling them to get real life work experience
- Business mentor: Mentoring support will be provided from one of the One Stop Leadership Team throughout the students’ degree and as they start their future career
- Graduate role: Students will also have the opportunity to work towards a graduate role at One Stop, providing real career progression from the minute they start university
Liz Fox, Head of Sustainability and Social Responsibility at One Stop, said: “This is a really exciting proposition for us here at One Stop and for our current and future students on the programme. The programme provides opportunities not only for us as a business but also for young people looking to progress their careers within an Online, Technology or Sustainability environment, all with a leading convenience retailer.
“We’re looking for candidates to join us directly from the local communities where our stores are located. We’ll help equip them with a number of unique benefits for their career paths, which are not available through any other channel.
“For us, getting the social mobility aligned in our scholarship programme was key and working with Groundwork has enabled us to get the programme developed and up and running. We’re delighted to be welcoming our first students into the One Stop team and opening our application process for our next candidates into next year.”
Liliana Odjo from Coventry is one of the students currently on the pilot scheme. She has just entered her first year at the University of Warwick studying a four-year Masters course in Computer Science.
She said: “I started going to One Stop when I was child, and now, here I am doing their very first scholarship. I think it’s amazing the way they’re helping people in their own communities. I can’t say the road to get here has been easy. It took a lot of hard work to get myself here. I never felt deprived or disadvantaged growing up – I am just very lucky and proud to be here now.
“Because I’m one of the first students on the scholarship I will be working closely with One Stop’s Technology department to help develop the scheme further, so this is another really exciting aspect for me as I’ll be playing such a big part in the future of the programme. I’m also really looking forward to the internships too as I’ll be doing a lot of theory on my course which I can apply in the physical environment. I really want to make a difference as One Stop has made such a difference to me.”
Students applying for university in 2022, who come from a lower income household, are invited to apply from Monday 1 November 2021 with the closing date being Monday 31 January 2022.
