Project SAFE – Supporting Attainment through Financial Equity
Project SAFE, a 15‑month national partnership programme, has officially launched with the aim of improving how colleges and universities support students through funding processes — particularly those with care experience. Working alongside 6 institutions across Scotland, and national policy bodies, Project SAFE will develop clear, evidence‑based recommendations for trauma‑informed approaches to student funding.
Led by HUB for SUCCESS, Project SAFE brings together practitioners, funding teams, sector leaders, and care‑experienced students to build a shared understanding of what trauma informed, equitable, accessible funding systems should look like. The project will also examine how current systems impact students’ wellbeing, retention, and progression.
Our aims
Project SAFE will work with institutions to:
- Define sector‑wide aims — establishing what safe, trauma‑informed funding practice should achieve for students, practitioners, institutions, and national bodies.
- Improve outcomes for care‑experienced learners — ensuring funding processes actively support retention, stability, and educational progression.
- Strengthen practitioner confidence — supporting funding teams to make consistent, transparent decisions grounded in trauma‑informed principles.
- Support institutional improvement — identifying gaps, pressures, and opportunities within current systems and policies.
- Inform national policy — producing clear, actionable recommendations for national bodies, including SFC and Scottish Government.
Independent evaluation
The project is supported by an independent external evaluator, Dr Emily Whyte (Animate Consulting), who will lead the development of the project’s theory of change, evaluation framework, and final recommendations.
Why this matters
Funding processes can be a critical point of vulnerability for students often interact with funding processes in times of crisis, and this crisis can be exacerbated when students who have experienced trauma and struggle when met with systems that aren’t trauma informed. Decisions around discretionary funding, evidence requirements, and communication can significantly influence a student’s ability to remain in education. Project SAFE aims to ensure these processes are not only fair and consistent, but also trauma‑informed, supportive, and aligned with Scotland’s corporate parenting responsibilities.
Get involved
Institutions participating in Project SAFE will contribute to shaping national practice, strengthening their own systems, and improving outcomes for students. To learn more or discuss involvement, please contact us by emailing the project lead Niamh, at n.mccrossan@napier.ac.uk
