Clarion unveils new William Sutton Prize scholarships to boost diversity in architecture and sustainability
Clarion Housing Group, the UK’s largest housing association, has announced a new scholarship programme as part of the sixth William Sutton Prize to mark the organisation’s 125th anniversary.
The new initiative has been developed to increase diversity in architecture and sustainability, providing funding to support students from low-income households and social housing backgrounds through their degree courses.
Working with the London Neighbourhood Scholarship Trust, Clarion will offer three William Sutton Prize scholarships of £15,000 to be distributed in £5,000 instalments over three years to students of architecture from underrepresented backgrounds living in London.
One of the scholarships has been sponsored by architecture practice Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM), and it is hoped that the new programme will help increase diversity and level the playing field for young people entering the profession.
Clarion is also offering two scholarships providing financial and career support to students of sustainability who live or have lived in social housing.
Working with financial education specialists Blackbullion, the housing association is offering two scholarships of £18,000, to be distributed in three yearly instalments of £6,000.
In addition to funding, scholars will also benefit from a tailored package of career support, including mentorship, internships and work experience opportunities facilitated by jobs and training experts within Clarion Futures, the charitable foundation of Clarion Housing Group.
Clarion Housing Group draws on its heritage dating back to 1900 when entrepreneur William Sutton left his fortune to create some of the first social housing in London. Along with contemporaries such as Joseph Rowntree and George Peabody, Sutton’s original bequest transformed the lives of so many Victorian workers in towns and cities.
125 years later, Clarion’s William Sutton Prize aims to honour that legacy by turning groundbreaking ideas into real-world solutions that make lasting improvements to the built environment and local communities.
Clare Miller, Chief Executive of Clarion Housing Group, said:
“Pursuing a degree in architecture or sustainability is an expensive and time-intensive endeavour, with the cost often acting as a barrier to students progressing their degrees to completion. Through these scholarships, it is my hope that we’ll be able to help level the playing field and encourage a more diverse body of future architects and sustainability professionals, removing the stress of having to work through university to pay the bills, buy materials and fund study trips.
“To maximise impact, our focus is on providing opportunities for social housing residents and those from low-income households in London. In addition to financial support, we’ll also be offering scholars access to mentoring and work placements to help them kickstart their careers, welcoming them into the William Sutton Prize family.”
Jas Bhalla, Founding Trustee of the London Neighbourhood Scholarship (LNS) Trust and former William Sutton Prize winner, said:
“We are very grateful and incredibly excited about Clarion’s generous sponsorship of three architecture students from underrepresented groups through The William Sutton Prize scholarships. As someone who studied architecture on a scholarship, I know first-hand how vital this support can be in removing financial barriers to create much-needed opportunities for social mobility. By investing in diverse voices, we help shape a more inclusive and representative future for the field. I very much look forward to working with Clarion and the other trustees to select this year's cohort of LNS scholars.”
Applications for The William Sutton Prize architecture scholarships close on 28 April, and sustainability students who live or have lived in social housing can apply for The William Sutton Prize sustainability scholarships until 23 May.
Scholars will be selected following the publication of A-level results in August.
The scholarships sit alongside the prestigious William Sutton Prize which seeks innovative and bold solutions to tackle some of society’s most urgent challenges. In Clarion’s 125th anniversary year, the £125,000 prize fund will be split between the winners of two categories focusing on sustainability and connected communities, with applications closing at midday on 8 April.
To find out more about The William Sutton Prize or to apply for one of the categories or scholarships, visit clarionhg.com/william-sutton-prize.