🎓 Apply for a Wellbeing Bursary Place on the School of Improv programme
Thanks to funding from the Sir James Knott Trust, we’re offering a limited number of Wellbeing Bursary places — fully subsidised spots for adults who would not otherwise be able to afford our School of Improv classes.
These places are for people who are likely to benefit in terms of confidence, wellbeing, or social connection. You may also be facing challenges such as isolation, low self-esteem, or lack of access to creative opportunities.
🧩 Who can apply?
You are eligible to apply if:
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you feel your wellbeing will benefit and
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you are facing financial hardship, and one or more of the following relate to your situation:
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You receive means-tested benefits
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You are unemployed, in low-paid or insecure work, or a student with limited income
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You are an asylum seeker, refugee, or migrant with no access to mainstream public funds or paid employment
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Are an unpaid carer
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You are currently unable to work and have no access to financial support
Our support is intended for people experiencing genuine financial hardship. It is not available to those who are choosing not to work and are otherwise financially stable.
Receiving disability-related benefits like PIP does not automatically qualify or disqualify someone for a bursary as they are not means-tested and do not reflect income. We assess applications based on genuine financial need — whether or not the attendee also receives PIP or has a disability.
We ask that people with the means to pay, use our standard or supported price tiers. We also offer standby tickets at a reduced rate on the day, when space is available.
👉 You can read more about our pricing structure here.
🎁 What does a Wellbeing Bursary include?
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A fully subsidised place on a School of Improv course (typically 1 class per week)
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The opportunity to start at Beginners level, unless you already have significant improv experience — we’ll help you find the right starting point
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Optional pre-course taster workshop, which may also be included in your bursary
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Opportunities to take part in School of Improv showcases
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We are able to help with travel costs up to a maximum of £10 per session:
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We can help with public transport costs provided the journey is made specifically to attend our programme and does not duplicate a journey already being made for work or other personal reasons.
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We can reimburse travel on receipt, or may be able to issue a travel pass if more cost-effective
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In rare cases, alternatives such as taxis may be considered where public transport is not appropriate due to access, anxiety, or safety concerns — but this must be agreed in advance.
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We do not cover petrol costs or mileage expenses, but we can rebate your parking costs.
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A warm welcome into a diverse, inclusive, and supportive community
♿️ Acccess and Inclusion
We welcome adults from all backgrounds and aim to make our sessions as accessible as possible. Our venue (Leonardo Hotel, Newcastle) is wheelchair accessible, with step-free entry, lifts and accessible toilets.
Our programme is designed for independent adults in a group setting, and we’re not equipped to provide one-to-one or specialist support.
If you attend with a Personal Assistant, they are welcome to wait in the nearby reception area. This supports your independence and helps maintain the group’s privacy.
There’s a section in the application form where you can tell us about access needs — such as mobility, quiet space, or prayer time — and we’ll do our best to make reasonable adjustments within our capacity.
🤝 What We Ask in Return (and How to Keep Your Place)
We want to make sure Wellbeing Bursary places are used meaningfully and fairly. If you're awarded a place, we ask that you:
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Attend regularly for the classes you’re booked into
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Let us know in advance if you can’t make a session
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Inform us if your circumstances change, or if you’re no longer able to attend or wish to discontinue your bursary place
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Adhere to our Code of Conduct, which promotes a respectful, inclusive, and positive environment for all
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Participate in occasional in-person or online feedback, which helps us understand how the classes are supporting your wellbeing and is essential for reporting to our funders.
We’ll check in at the end of each course. If attendance and communication have been consistent, we’ll offer to continue your place — while funding allows — no need to reapply.
This helps ensure bursary places are used well and opens up opportunities for others when needed.
📝 How to apply
Please click the button below to complete our short application form.
It includes straightforward questions, such as:
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Your contact details, age, gender, and residency status
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A few lines about your current financial situation
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Why you’d like to attend and how it may benefit your confidence, wellbeing, or social connection
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Whether you would need help with transport costs, and how much your typical round trip would cost
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Any access needs you may have, so we can make reasonable adjustments to the space or course content where possible
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Whether you’ve had any previous improv experience — this helps us find the right starting point for your journey
All applications are treated in confidence. We aim to respond within 7 days. We may get in touch if we need to clarify anything before confirming your place.
🔜 What happens next?
If your application is unsuccessful, we will let you know.
If your application is successful, we’ll offer you a bursary place. You’ll then need to complete our online registration process before we can book you onto a course.
Should you be successful but current places are full, we’ll let you know when the next place is likely to become available and add you to our waiting list. As soon as a new bursary place becomes available, we’ll contact you and offer you the next suitable space.
We look forward to receiving your application — and wish you the very best of luck!