Originally from the East Midlands, I moved to Birmingham in 2020 to start my undergraduate degree in BA History and Political Science at the University of Birmingham. Although the first half of my degree was impacted by COVID-19, I made incredible friends and got involved with some societies. I discovered a dedication to volunteering, and wrote my dissertation on homelessness statistics and responses in Birmingham. This was an area I was particularly interested in, and this drove me to apply for a Masters in Environment, Development and Politics in 2023. I wanted to improve responses to tackle inequality, and believed I could make a real difference. I am currently preparing for my dissertation on how Disabled Peoples Organisations can adapt to climate change in the Global South.

In my second year, I was offered the opportunity to complete an internship in London as a Management Consultant in financial services. While I loved the type of work and experienced an environment entirely different from my previous roles in the service industry, I felt unfulfilled by working within this field. This experience taught me that I wanted a meaningful role that focused on building social change. Upon completing my internship, I had a gut feeling that applying for a Masters was the right thing for me to do. I had my eye on further study early on during my undergraduate degree, having researched online and attended the Postgraduate Open Day. Likewise, throughout my degree, I have been drawn to issues of social justice and inequality both historically and in contemporary society. International Development meant that I could focus on these issues in a global setting, as well as study the practical implementation for overcoming and understanding inequality. I wanted to specialize in environmental issues as I feel climate change is the most important issue we face today.

I decided to work with the EDISA scheme as I wanted a role that made a real difference. I felt my lived experience of accessing career support through social mobility charities meant I had a unique insight into the strengths and weaknesses of different events and initiatives. I feel passionate about ensuring everyone on campus and in society more widely has equal opportunities, feels empowered, and knows that they belong. I felt that by applying for this role I could contribute to achieving these goals. The EDI role is also closely aligned with my career interests of strengthening communication between a diverse population of people to create social change. I felt that the opportunity to work in a professional environment on these topics would teach me a lot about the sector, and offer insight into good practice that I could take forward into my career.

I have had access to a variety of roles during my time at the university. Some of these roles were internal, meaning I could gain work experience part time around my studies. As a postgraduate, I am an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador for the Careers Network and a Project Assistant. I support communications within the Careers Network to promote events and activities for all students. I also support the planning and delivery of projects and events within the university’s overall EDI strategy. My involvement with the university and the EDI team has provided practical experience, which will benefit my goal of working within government or NGO sectors in the future. My employability has also been impacted by volunteering, such as through homelessness charities in Birmingham and societies the university ran. These have been great opportunities for me to gain sound experience, while also supporting my financial independence at university.

During my undergraduate degree, I received the full student loan as well as the Chamberlain Award. The loan, as well as having part-time jobs, covered my living costs such as rent, bills and activities. I saved the Chamberlain Award for a potential Masters degree, as I knew I would need to utilize my savings. By continuing my studies at Birmingham, I gained a discount on my postgraduate degree through the Postgraduate Progression Award. I would not have been able to undertake further study without the financial aid provided.