Snowdon Trust

Who we are

More than 40 years ago our founder, the first Earl of Snowdon, set out to tackle inequalities facing Disabled People, driven by his lived experience and frustration that they were overlooked and undervalued in education and employment.

Since the Trust was established in 1981, we have awarded more than £4 million in grants and scholarships which have enabled thousands of students to achieve education goals and move into employment in ways that might otherwise not have been possible.

Today, we are dismantling barriers and championing equality for disabled students and graduates. We aim to equip disabled students and graduates with the tools, resources, and opportunities needed to thrive, and challenge systematic barriers and structures that prevent them from achieving educational and career goals. Our work is delivered across three main programme areas.

• We deliver two financial award programmes. Grants provide crucial financial support to cover additional costs incurred by disabled students that otherwise disadvantage them. Annually, we allocate approximately £250,000 to alleviate the financial burden of disability for items like mobility equipment, accessible accommodation and assistive technology. The Snowdon Master’s Scholarship, worth up to £30,000, is awarded annually to a small number of exceptional disabled students, accelerating their journey into workplace leadership. These financial awards help level the playing field and support disabled students to succeed academically and professionally.

•  ​We’ve established the Disabled Leaders Network (DLN): The DLN is a dynamic forum for disabled students and graduates to connect and collaborate on themes of leadership and disability. This member-led network empowers its participants through speaker events, webinars, and information-sharing to upskill and support them to drive disability inclusion. The DLN is a hub for change-makers and the disabled leaders of the future.

• Partnerships, Research, and Campaigning: We commission wide-scale research to understand and address the needs and challenges faced by our community. We collaborate with other organisations to leverage expertise and add value to our initiatives. Through strategic partnerships, research, and advocacy campaigns, we aim to contribute to a more inclusive society. Our research informs policy and practice, while our campaigns raise awareness and drive systemic change for disability inclusion.

Our culture and values

Our vision is for a society in which disabled people no longer face barriers in education or the workplace. It’s a social justice issue. 

We are working towards an inclusive society where disabled people no longer face barriers in education or the workplace.

These are the values that drive our approach:

Brave - we aren’t afraid to challenge social injustice.

Trusting and compassionate - our community are the experts on their own needs.

Always striving to be better - we use the expertise of our community to drive continual improvement.

Innovative and agile - we look for new solutions and we respond to emerging issues.

Inclusive - inclusion and diversity drive everything we do.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

We are a small charity with limited resources. We work with partners to extend our reach and increase the impact we can have for disabled students and graduates.

Inclusion is at the core of everything we do. Since the outset, the work of the Snowdon Trust has been delivered by a team of disabled and non-disabled people. We believe true inclusion exists in a diverse team which ensures that the experiences of our community drives everything we do. 

We are a Disability Confident Employer and will guarantee an interview to any disabled applicant who meets the minimum requirments of a role. Our working practices are as flexible as possible to maximise our impact and best support the needs of our team.