Invest for Change: Empowering students with divestment, reinvestment & ethical finance training across the UK
Over 60 student representatives came together at the three Divestment, Reinvestment and Ethical Finance Trainings we ran this year! In London, Birmingham and Glasgow, student leaders learnt how to transform their universities’ investments in the interests of people and the planet.
The training is part of Invest for Change – a campaign that collaborates with students to transform university investments to better align with the interests of students, communities, and the planet.
Attendees at Glasgow Caledonian University Students' Association"Such a comprehensive training which has really helped me understand more about how to campaign for divestment, reinvestment, and ethical finance." - Student Attendee
Many students care deeply about how their universities invest, as evidenced by the asks of the encampment movement and the success of the fossil fuel divestment movement. However, financial jargon and a lack of familiarity with the broader financial system often discourage student leaders from challenging and shaping their universities' investment policies. To address this, Invest for Change developed a confidence building training day for student officers, as part of SOS-UK’s ongoing commitment to empowering students to advocate for climate and social justice within their institutions.
Over the last two weeks, the team has been delivering training to elected student union officers, sustainability staff and student leaders from 35 higher education institutions, representing over 20% of UK university students!
Attendees doing a group exercise at UCL Students' Union
"This training is not only interesting and empowering but it's also relevant to student officers. I now feel like I can make a change and have a big impact." - Student Attendee
The Ethical Finance training started by providing a comprehensive understanding of the power of money, financial literacy and how universities invest, analysing their own institutions’ practices highlighting the impact of different investment approaches on both people and the planet. The results were significant – feedback found confidence in discussing investment and positive reinvestment rose significantly.
A key element of the training was the launch of SOS-UK’s Insure Tomorrow campaign, which focused on the role insurance companies play in fossil fuel expansion and how students can leverage recruitment as a pressure point. Understanding of the links between insurance and fossil fuels grew substantially.
The second half of the training focused on practical action, teaching students how to mobilise for change within their institutions. This included exploring how student leaders can best utilise the power they are given, role-playing negotiations with university leadership, and discussing effective campaign strategies.
Attendees provided feedback indicating they joined the training to deepen their understanding of university finances and ethical investments, boost their confidence in challenging their institutions on divestment issues, and learn practical strategies for ethical campaigns—all of which they felt were successfully achieved.
Attendees at the University of Birmingham Guild of Students
"Fun and interactive session which made the concepts of divestment and insurance a lot less daunting." - Student Attendee
The sessions were well-received for being empowering, informative, and inspiring. Participants were highly satisfied with the training, praising its accessibility, the clarity with which complex financial terminology was simplified, and the practical skills gained. Many noted that the training significantly increased their confidence in approaching future financial meetings and campaigns.
A special thank you to Friends Provident Foundation, whose funding makes this project possible, to Birmingham Guild, UCL Students’ Union, Glasgow Caledonian Students’ Association for hosting us – and of course to all the student reps who came along and made the sessions such a joy to run! We can’t wait to support you every step of the way in working to transform their universities’ investment policies over the year ahead.
Couldn't attend the training but want to get involved? We are delivering the training online! Sign up here and join us from 10:00-15:00 on Friday the 4th of October 2024.
You can also reach out to Jo Campling (jo.campling@sos-uk.org) the SOS-UK lead for Invest for Change for support or to join the Invest for Change and/or Insure Tomorrow WhatsApp groups. Be sure to visit our website and resource bank for further information.