Why I’m offering a bursary for Service Design in Practice
Service design is about inclusion – but the field isn’t always inclusive.
I’ve been working in and around public services long enough to see the difference good service design can make. But I’ve also seen who gets to do the designing.
And too often, it’s not the people most affected by those services. It’s not the people who’ve had to navigate the social housing system, get support as a refugee, or figure out how to access carer’s allowance. The people doing the designing aren’t necessarily the people who grew up with those services shaping their lives.
That gap matters.
Because I see many people designing things for those who aren’t like them. And it’s hard. Even with the best intentions and the best research, it’s easy to miss things – to get it wrong.
Too many people who could bring insight and energy into public service design face barriers to getting started. Whether it’s financial pressure, lack of networks, systemic bias, or simply not being in the right place at the right time – the train often leaves without them.
And I want to do a little something about that.
So this year, I’m offering a 90% bursary for one place on Service Design in Practice. It’s an 8-month hybrid course based in Wales. It’s highly practical, team-based learning and rooted in real-life challenges. It’s not about learning theory in isolation. It’s about growing alongside peers and learning how to lead change.
This bursary is for individuals who wouldn’t otherwise be able to participate. Someone who wants to learn service design so they can use it where it matters most: in the design of public services, with and for their community.
We’ll prioritise people who:
Identify with underrepresented communities
Have been priced out of professional development
Want to use service design to create public or social good
You’ll still need to:
Travel to Cardiff four times during the course, during the working week
Have access to a laptop and a reliable internet connection
Be available for all the teaching sessions
Set aside around half a day each week, during the working week, to take part
To fund 10% of the cost, amounting to £375 + VAT.
I recognise that those requirements won’t work for everyone. That’s frustrating. But by being upfront and transparent. I hope this opportunity becomes visible to someone who needs it – someone who might not otherwise be picked.
This bursary won’t change the industry overnight. But it might make a very, very small dent. And if a micro-business like Service Works can do it, so can some of the bigger organisations.
And that feels like something worth doing.
How to apply for the bursary
Applications close: Wednesday 3 September 2025 at 5 pm
We’ll inform the successful recipient by Friday 5 September 2025
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