THE benevolent fund of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), Iprovision, has today launched a new fund aimed at helping those from lower socio-economic and underrepresented groups to commence or advance a career in public relations.
The new 75 Fund launches to mark the 75th Anniversary of the CIPR with an initial pot of £75,000. It targets educational initiatives to lift people from socially or financially disadvantaged backgrounds out of potential financial hardship by supporting career development and progression. It is open to CIPR members at all grades from day one of their membership. Non-members are able to apply and, if successful, will have their first-year membership fee sponsored for free by the CIPR.
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For more than 50 years, Iprovision has supported CIPR members and their families who experience hard times due to illness, disability, unemployment or bereavement. The new fund aims to particularly help those looking to build a career in PR but who don’t have the means to self-fund their training or access longer-term education.
Kevin Taylor (pictured), chair of Iprovision, said, “I’m incredibly proud that we are able to launch this fund today. We believe people starting their career in PR, seeking a career change, or looking to return to work after a break will benefit as they look to build or maybe resume their professional journey. The 75 fund will aim to help individuals get access to training on the fast-changing professional and media landscape that PR inhabits.”
There’s no set level of grant from the 75 Fund and we’ll look to help cover the costs of short-term training or longer-term education, as well as other resources or travel. Each application will be treated on its merits.”
CIPR president Steve Shepperson-Smith said, “Research published by the CIPR earlier this year shows that there is much more work to do to help level-up the PR industry. Iprovision’s move to target this area is a significant step on that journey and is a credit to the vision and energy of the trustees. The Iprovision 75 Fund is also another example of the CIPR’s genuine commitment to delivering increased member value and improving equity, diversity and inclusion in our industry.”
The first window to apply for help from the fund closes on August 15 and there will be four application windows each year.
The 75 Fund application form, as well as guidance on the eligibility and criteria are available to download from the Iprovision pages on the CIPR website. The forms also provide a list of possible training providers that those new to the profession could research to find suitable courses.
Find out more about Iprovision
Read the CIPR’s Levelling Up the Public Relations Profession research
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