Service design training bursary
We’re offering a 90% bursary for one place on our Service Design in Practice course starting on 30 September 2026.
This is for someone who wouldn’t otherwise be able to fund a place – someone from an underrepresented background who wants to bring service design into public or community work.
Want to know why we’re doing this?
What’s included?
The bursary covers:
8 months of hands-on, practical training
Real-life service design challenges and teamwork
4 in-person full-day workshops in Cardiff
6 days’ worth of live online workshops
Coaching, support, and a peer network that lasts
You’ll need:
To travel to Cardiff five times
A laptop and a reliable internet connection
To be available for all the teaching sessions
Around half a day per week to take part outside of the taught sessions (during the standard working week)
To fund 10% of the cost, amounting to £375 + VAT.
What does the course cover?
Find out more about the Service Design in Practice course
Who’s it for?
You might be:
From a background that’s underrepresented in service design
Not funded by your employer
Looking to move into public or third sector roles
Facing barriers, financial or otherwise, to professional development
A carer, a refugee, or someone who’s been overlooked before now
We especially welcome applications from people who identify as:
Black, Asian, brown, dual-heritage, or indigenous to the global south
Disabled or neurodivergent
LGBTQIA+
Not university educated
Under 25
Recently made redundant or unemployed
Experiencing financial hardship
If this resonates with you, and you believe the course could help you make a difference, we’d love to hear from you.
The application includes an optional question to tell us about any access needs or barriers you’d like us to consider, including travel, caring responsibilities, financial pressure or anything else.
Any questions?
How to apply?
Use the form below to tell us a bit more about why we should consider you for this year’s Service Works training bursary.
Applications close: Thursday 30 July 2026 at 5pm. We’ll inform the successful recipient by Thursday 13 August 2026.
So that you can prepare, the longer questions on the form (each with 1,000 character limit) are:
Can you briefly share why your employer isn’t able to fund your place on this course?
Tell us something about your current situation which means you would benefit from a heavily subsidised place.
Where do you see yourself in a year’s time – and how might this course help you get there?
Do you have any access needs, barriers, or life circumstances you'd like us to consider as part of your application, so that we can make reasonable adjustments?
Scroll inside the form to submit
“This course is for you if you already feel passionate about developing better public services and want to develop the skills, confidence and influence to apply service design approaches in your work.”
“The course really focuses on the practical skills you need as a Service Designer!”