As the Aziz Foundation marks its 10-year anniversary, they have unveiled Sonnet’s independent evaluation and landmark report: “From Barriers to Bridges: A Decade of Impact”.
The Aziz Foundation supports talented British Muslims striving to enact change
The Aziz Foundation was established in 2015 by the Aziz family to reduce equality gaps and promote social mobility among British Muslims. It is dedicated to supporting the most disadvantaged communities in Britain.
The Foundation’s marquee programmes are its scholarship and internship programmes for British Muslims with significant leadership potential. To date, the Aziz Foundation has awarded 660 Master’s scholarships and 71 internships to British Muslims, supporting a generation of talented British Muslims striving to enact change in their communities and beyond.
Scholarship and internship alumni are bringing about positive change
The Aziz Foundation commissioned Sonnet to produce an independent evaluation of their work. We took a mixed methods approach, which included interviews with 24 alumni of the Foundation’s programmes.
Our research showed that scholarships and internships can be transformational to alumni’s careers, supporting them to enter and then secure experience and contacts in sectors that are highly competitive.
Alumni are now making strides in policy, media, education, law, and culture. This gives them the opportunity for faster progression, greater career satisfaction, and, in some cases, higher earnings potential.
More importantly, alumni are using their platforms at work and outside to bring about change for other Muslims and other disadvantaged groups. This change is wide and varied, ranging from founding support networks for Muslims in their fields to creating and platforming art that features the stories and experiences of British Muslims.
It’s these sorts of change and outcomes that we built into our cost-benefit analysis of the Foundation’s programmes. Reflecting the significant positive change that alumni can bring about, this analysis shows that the social value created by alumni can far exceed the financial costs of the support provided by the Foundation.
Our assessment is that The Aziz Foundation’s offers are valuable and should continue
This work has given The Aziz Foundation the confidence in its current offers. They remain committed to championing inspirational British Muslims and exploring new pathways to deepen their impact.
