Giving is a huge part of the Comms Unplugged ethos – whether it’s your time, your cash, your expertise or your support. It’s one of the five steps to wellbeing that underpin everything we’re trying to do.
So in 2019 we created the CU in the field scholarship fund. It’s a chance to give as little as £10 to support someone else who may not otherwise be able to attend our rather different and special learning and wellbeing experience.
Comms Unplugged has always been a level playing field (well there are a few lumps and bumps…) – everyone’s welcome whatever stage they’re at in their #comms career or their background. But we know that sometimes accessing the right learning opportunities – at the right price – can be a challenge. While Comms Unplugged is great value we recognise that some people may face barriers to joining us in the field – it might be about finances, lack of confidence, feeling out of the loop or other situations. So the scholarship gives support to comms professionals in these five groups:
- Member of a protected group under the Equality Act 2010
- New comms professionals (in the first 2 years of their comms career)
- Returners to comms (maybe after a career break, maternity leave or other reason)
- Members of small teams (of 3 or under who have limited funding or chances to get to development)
- Comms professionals made redundant from a comms role in the last year
Applying for a scholarship place
To apply for a scholarship place at Comms Unplugged please fill in our CU in the field form. You can apply for yourself or nominate someone else. Please give as much detail as you can to help us understand your circumstances, or those of the person nominated, and why you feel you/they would benefit from attending Comms Unplugged this year.
Terms and conditions for 2023
We welcome applicants with less than two years comms career experience, recently returned from a six-month or more career break, in a team of three people or fewer or made redundant from a comms role in the last year.- The number of places available is dependant on the amount of funds raised through our scholarship fund.
- A maximum of four scholarship places will be awarded in any one year. Any remaining funds will be held over for the following year’s scholarships.
- Applications for 2023 scholarship places are open now and will be assessed by Comms Unplugged organisers Sally Northeast, Georgia Turner and Darren Caveney. We’re looking for heart, enthusiasm and curiosity about being unplugged and the benefits it can bring
- Applications close on 7 July and successful applicants will be notified by 14 July 2023.
- The #CUinthefield scholarship covers the ticket price only – this includes all workshops, activities, pitch fees and catering throughout the event (excluding alcoholic drinks, and additional hot drinks which are available to buy).
- Successful applicants will need to cover travel costs and bring their own camping equipment.
- Successful applicants will be asked to choose their ticket type ie 2-nighter, 1-nighter or day ticket.
- We will not publicise who has received a #CUinthefield Scholarship without their express permission. Receipt of the scholarship ticket is not conditional on this permission.
- Previous recipients of the #CUinthefield scholarship will not be eligible to apply again. Previous unsuccessful applicants will be eligible to apply.
- Places are not transferable to someone else and there will be a reserve list in case a successful applicant cannot take up their place. We will offer a reserve place no later than 1 month before the event. If the reserve place is offered to someone who has subsequently bought a ticket, the cost of the ticket cannot be refunded and the scholarship ticket will be offered to someone else or held over. If there is no reserve the place will be funded the following year.
- Donations to the scholarship fund will only be used to fund scholarship places and not for any other element of the event or for the benefit of Comms Unplugged LLP or its partners.
- We may ask you or the person you’ve nominated for additional information about the application if we feel it’s needed.
Donating to the scholarship fund
If you want to be part of the wonderful, supportive #unplugged community and donate £10 (or a multiple of that) to support others to attend, it couldn’t be easier. Just pop along to our Comms Unplugged shop and select the number of tenners you’d like to contribute, then go to your basket and pay. Any money donated after 9 June 2023 will go towards the 2024 fund.
Please email commsunplugged@gmail.com if you have any questions about the scholarship fund.
