RELAUNCH - Meraki Veterinary Clinical EMS Grants, apply now!!!

Download application form

Here at Meraki, we understand how integral clinical extra-mural studies (EMS) are to increase new graduate confidence and to minimise what can be a stressful transition from student to professional. We also understand the financial pressures of completing EMS and how cost can be a barrier to accessing placements, preventing you from getting the most out of your undergraduate training.

Aligned with our values of wanting to use business as a force for good we want to support our vets of tomorrow. That’s why, when Meraki launched in January 2022 we pledged to set aside revenue from every new workplace subscription to give back to veterinary students in the form of EMS grants.

Image: Clinical EMS is invaluable for building relationships and gaining experience working as part of a veterinary team.

Grants available

In collaboration with the Association of Veterinary Students UK and Ireland, starting 1st July 2024 we are giving away a £70 and £30 EMS grant EVERY MONTH for twelve months.

Read on for how to apply.

What can the money be used for?

Anything you like! But we would prefer you put the money towards something to facilitate the completion of your studies or a subsequent placement. For example, clothing, equipment, accommodation, travel or even buying cake, or a round of drinks in the pub for your next placement team to say ‘thank you!’.

Encouraging you to build relationships

Passionate about building great veterinary workplaces where people love to work, we want to see you getting stuck in, camaraderie and you being made to feel welcome as part of the team while on placement. While clinical or technical skills are necessary to do the job, it is your non-clinical people skills that will by far have the greatest impact on your workplace relationships, the culture where you work and ultimately your happiness at work.

Word cloud of what matters most to people in veterinary teams. Source: Veterinary Human Factors Conference, February 2023

So these grants will be awarded to those who we can see have clearly put effort into building the personable relationships necessary to achieve your learning goals and have a great placement.

How to apply

To evidence your effort to build a positive relationship with the team we want to see a cool or fun picture of you on placement interacting and engaging with the team.

The essential bit here is YOU must in the picture with at least ONE of the workplace team who is supporting your learning.

To apply send us:

1. ONE picture of you with at least one member of the team having a great time and that best encapsulates your experience while on placement.
2. A 50-100 word caption to give some kind of context for the picture. For example, is there a funny story to go with, what were you doing at the time, how does the picture relate to your placement learning outcomes, or perhaps you just want to say thank you and share what you loved about the placement.
3. The names and job roles of everyone in your picture. It is your responsibility to ensure you have permission from everyone in the picture before sending it in to us (see Terms and Conditions).
4. Your Instagram username or handle – this is how we notify the winner, tagging you in post on our Instagram @themeraki_initiative.

The picture could be you celebrating with a nurse after placing your first IV catheter, enjoying lunch with the team in the staff room, being invited on the workplace team building day out or a coffee break selfie on the road with the boss while discussing a case.

You decide!

Download application form

 

To enter, send in your completed application form to olly@merakiinitiative.com by 23.59 on the last day of the month.

 

Eligibility criteria

• Grant applications are open to veterinary students studying in the UK and Ireland
• Applicants can be a citizen of any country
• Applicants must be a registered member of Meraki. Don’t worry, it’s FREE to join – register here
• Grants are awarded for the completion of clinical EMS only, not pre-clinical or animal husbandry placements
• The clinical EMS placement can be completed anywhere
• Placements must be for a minimum of 5 days, and must have been completed in the previous 3 months
• Applications run on a month by month basis. The deadline for applications is 23.59 on the last day of each month.
• Only one application will be accepted each month and, while the same picture cannot be entered more than once, you are welcome to apply every month.

 

Evaluation criteria

1. The picture – The more fun and ‘getting stuck in’ with the team your picture is, the more favourably your submission will be judged. The image does not necessarily have to be within the workplace setting.

Note, a team is more than just you. So applications without YOU and at least ONE other person in the photo will not be considered.

2. The caption – An engaging story to describe your picture and what you got out of the placement.

3. Use of the funds – Petrol, car maintenance, public transport, accommodation, scrubs are very valid use of the grant funds. But with most applicants stating one of these responses, is there anything else that you would like to use the funds for to make your application stand out?

4. Inclusivity – We want to promote workplaces that make students feel like they belong. So to enhance your application share how your placement provider went out of their way to integrate you and make you feel welcome.

Applications will be evaluated by Olly King, Founder of The Meraki Initiative and Evonne Lo, Grants & Sponsorship Officer, AVS Committee.

How and when will I find out if I have won

The winner and runner up will be notified by being tagged in an Instagram post on @themeraki_initiative on the second Wednesday of the proceeding month. For example July 2024 winners will be announced on the 14th August.

So go follow us now!

Strength in diversity

Aligned with our wider commitment to promote accessibility, diversity, equality and inclusivity within the veterinary professions, we want to recognise workplaces providing an inclusive culture.

This is completely optional, but if you are happy for us to share with others the underrepresented group you are from then we would like to know which group you belong to:

• Black, Asian and minority (BAME) backgrounds,
• Lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, or who has another minority sexual orientation or gender identity, or who are intersex,
• Have chronic health condition or
• Identify as having a neurodivergent condition

 

Apply from 1st July 2024

Each month’s applications open on the 1st of each month from 1st July, and close on 23.59 on the last day of each month.

Email your completed application form to olly@merakiinitiative.com.

Application form download

Any questions regarding Meraki EMS Grants or the application process please contact olly@merakiinitiative.com.

 

GOOD LUCK!

 

 

How previous recipients have said they intend to use the grant…

Emma Yi Kwan Lau, 3rd year at Bristol Vet School – “I am using the Meraki grant to contibute to transport to Scotland for an aquatic placement next summer.”

Lydia Allinson, 4th year at Liverpool Vet School – “The Meraki grant will help with the upkeep of my car. Without my car, student life would be much more difficult!”

July 2024: Sadia Maroof, 3rd year at Harper and Keele Vet School – “The Meraki grant will help contribute to the transportation to and from placement, as well as equipment such as a suture kit, extra scrubs and clogs.”

July 2024: Saira Yamazaki, 2nd year at Harper and Keele Vet School – “A lot of my previous placements were over 30 minute drives away, so this grant would help with covering costs for petrol.”

September 2024: Sam Cole, 5th year at Bristol Vet School – “The wildlife hospital asks for a £50 donation per week of clinical EMS placement to help with the feed and medicine costs as it is a charity. This grant would massively help fund the 3 weeks I completed there and the petrol costs for the commute!”

September 2024: Honor Wethey, 4th year at Harper and Keele Vet School – “Fuel and parking! In order to be able to go to some more places that are on my EMS “bucket list”, I will have to pay for parking and travel further afield.  I think this grant idea is a great way to help students out and get them involved in each placement a little more! EMS pictures are a great source of memories to look back on post graduation too! :)”

October 2024: Noelle Zrelli, 3rd year at Nottingham Vet School – “If I won the grant, I would use the money to take my housemate, who is also a veterinary student, out for dinner. She recently lost her mother, and I want to offer support and care during this difficult time.”

October 2024: – Laura Simons, 4th year at Bristol Vet School – “To buy some new steel-toe ankle boots! Mine died long ago and I’ve been using wellies but sturdy ankle boots would be ideal for future equine placements.”

Meraki EMS Grant – Terms and Conditions

1. Applicants agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.
2. Applicants must complete the application process as outlined above and in applying, you confirm that the information provided is accurate and to the best of your knowledge.
3. Incomplete application forms and images that do not have you AND at least one other person in the image will not be considered.
4. In registering with Meraki to apply for this grant, your personal information and contact details will be used in line with our Privacy Policy can be viewed here.
5. Grant recipients agree to take part in our promotional activity to publicise Meraki EMS Grants by supplying: a picture of you with others from the EMS placement team and a 50-100 word caption of your experience, for use on social media and on our website.
6. All applicants give copyright permissions for Your Vet Network Ltd (The Meraki Initiative) to use the images supplied for our grant and other branding and marketing purposes associated with The Meraki Initiative.
7. In sending in images showing other people, you take responsibility for having sought permission from those in the picture that they too have consented for their images to be used for our grant and other branding and marketing purposes associated with The Meraki Initiative.

 

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