Community groups in Oxford and beyond are benefiting from the generosity of Brookes alumni and the talents of Brookes students through an exciting new funding initiative. The Student Innovation Fund set up in 2008 has raised over £12,000 and has supported a wide range of products.

Community groups in Oxford and beyond are benefiting from the generosity of Brookes alumni and the talents of Brookes students through an exciting new funding initiative. The Student Innovation Fund set up in 2008 has raised over £12,000 and has supported a wide range of products.

Students too are benefiting from some of the projects including a book swap website, seminars on entrepreneurship and an on-line forum for art students.

Caroline Cage, a postgraduate on the Diploma in Architecture course has enlisted the support of fellow students to design a sustainable eco shelter for the Barracks Lane Community Garden in East Oxford. Caroline says of the project: "It's been fantastic and shows what students can do working with the local community. Together we have achieved something that will last."

The shelter, which is currently being constructed, will enable the users of the garden to extend their activities to include workshops, performances and refreshments.

Kerry-Ann Dearing, a Youth and Community Work and Applied Theology student, says over 30 youngsters now attend the Stac Café, which runs three times a week in a church hall near the Westminster Institute of Education.

“Most of the young people live on the local council estate where there is little service provision for teenagers, and therefore the café is a fantastic place for them to hang out with their friends in a safe environment. We’ve run a variety of workshops, including breakdancing, DJ-ing, graffiti, juggling and a bike workshop with the council,” says Kerry-Ann.

“The café has become a place where they know they will be listened to, cared for and where their participation is valued and recognised. As a result we have seen many of the young people grow in confidence. There’s been an improvement in their behaviour, and some have taken various responsibilities within the café and their community.”

Kerry-Ann has invited older people from two local churches to share their cooking skills with the teenagers and help provide meals.

Her colleague on the course, Tom Newton-Smith, has set up a project for young people, a music tutoring group for local schools in the South West to teach DJ-ing.

“It is possible to change someone’s life with support from the Student Innovation Fund”, says Tom who has teamed up with MC Tyte, a former UK champion beat boxer, to run classes which will reach out to young people who are disaffected by school or society.

Two further projects to benefit from the fund include one student enlisting the support of youth club members to create a female friendly revamp of their facilities and another aimed to raise people’s awareness of autism.

Helen Shone, alumni development project officer, says that the Student Innovation Fund has caught the imagination of students and alumni alike. “We’ll be launching a new round of funding next semester enabling us to support a fresh set of community projects wouldn’t be possible without the ongoing support of our alumni and it is thanks to these generous individuals that our students are able to grow themselves and make such a difference for others.”

Visit www.brookesalumni.co.uk to find out more about the Student Innovation Fund which enables students to directly serve their local community.