Support a Care Leaver at Oxford University - Jonna's Journey

Hi. I'm Jonna, an aspiring barrister. Here's a bit about my story.

As a young child growing up with experiences of violence, parental alcoholism and ultimately being placed into care, my future looked uncertain. I had an undiagnosed disability which, combined with a dangerous and unstable home environment, made it impossible for me to excel in education, despite being intelligent and motivated. I left school without qualifications.

Years later, I was given the chance to enrol on an LLB with the Open University. I graduated with a First Class degree, and I’m proud to say that I have been offered a place to study a MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Oxford.

I was selected for a prestigious scholarship awarded for someone showing modest means but exceptional promise to practise as a criminal barrister. However, I had to give this up to accept an Academic Futures scholarship for care-experienced students, which was of greater value. I am beyond honoured to have been recognised for both awards.

The Academic Futures scholarship covers tuition and offers a maintenance grant. I am splitting my studies over two years, in order to be able to undertake unpaid work experience and extracurricular activities to prepare myself to work in the legal profession.

The Academic Futures scholarship covers tuition and provides a maintenance grant of £10,390 per year. I have also taken out a government student loan (the maximum amount of £6,429 per year) and expect to earn approximately £2,050 from term-time part-time work, annually.

After carefully budgeting, I have calculated the costs of moving to Oxford and living there for ten months to be £25,300. This includes a one-off moving fee and purchase of a bicycle totalling £800, and £1,600 monthly on rent and bills, and £850 on other expenses.

This leaves me with a shortfall of £6,431 per year, totalling £12,862 over the two years of my studies. I don’t have family members who are able to help me, but I am not going to let that stop me. Over the course of the next 2 months I am going to be fundraising to make up the shortfall.

As a part-time student, I don't qualify for college accommodation. Private student halls are booked up. To secure a flat in the private rental market, I need to pay 6 months rent in advance, which, with the deposit, comes to a total of £12,250. This fundraiser would help me get into secure this accommodation, and save me from having to rely on short-term insecure housing, allowing me to focus on my studies.

This summer, I continue to undertake unpaid work placements, and continue to develop my public speaking and debating skills to prepare me for a future career as a lawyer. I was a semi-finalist in an employment law moot in April, on the first reserve spot for finals in the Supreme Court. I have taken part in a debate, and am attending the Privy Council to shadow a Doughty Street Chambers barrister to learn more about the profession.

Connect with me and learn more about me here: www.linkedin.com/in/jonna-tuomola-3584b552

The MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice will allow me to bring a deep understanding of human beings to my future work as a barrister (I hope!), and not just look at people as numbers. I have been through a lot, and am here to support others when they need it.

According to the Sutton Trust, only 14% of care leavers go on to university, compare with 47% of the wider population. In 2021-22 academic year, there were only five care leavers among the approximately 15,685 undergraduate students at the University of Oxford, according to Cherwell (Oxford student newspaper). This represents a very small percentage (0.03%) of the total undergraduate population at Oxford. I am committed to using my personal experiences of having faced significant challenges early in life to inspire others to overcome their obstacles in accessing education, and advocating for those who might find themselves caught up in difficulties to pursue their dreams.

If you are able to support me on this journey—whether financially or by sharing this fundraiser—I would be immensely grateful. Thank you for believing in people like me who’ve come from very little but aim to give back a lot. Every contribution helps me get one step closer to being the advocate I needed when I was younger.