A University of the community, for the community

City St George’s is a truly civic university, placing the community at the heart of its mission. Through specialist facilities and dedicated initiatives, the institution actively works to improve life in London.

From free legal support for Londoners to widening access to higher education and city-wide partnerships tackling inequality, City St George’s channels its civic mission into practical, measurable impact. It empowers its students to gain practical skills by helping out the community its long been a part of.

Founded in 1894 as the Northampton Institute in Clerkenwell, the University was established to promote the industrial skills, general knowledge, health and wellbeing of local young people. More than 130 years later, that commitment to its community continues – now through practical legal support for some of Islington’s most vulnerable residents.

At the heart of that work is the multiple award-winning City Community Legal Advice Centre (CityCLAC). Overseen by the Director & Senior Supervising Solicitor Sally Gill, the centre provides free and confidential legal advice, information and form-filling support to members of the public who might otherwise struggle to access legal help.

Sally said: “There are real advice deserts in our communities, particularly where legal aid is no longer available. We work closely with local organisations to identify where the need is greatest and help people who might otherwise have nowhere else to turn. At the same time, our students gain meaningful legal experience that helps them make their own way into the profession.”

Experienced lawyers work alongside trained law students, combining access to justice with an opportunity for the next generation of lawyers to learn through real cases. The centre supports people across a wide range of legal problems, including families of excluded children, criminal appeals, housing disrepair and housing allocations, family, employment and immigration matters. It also helps people complete applications for Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

For organisations working on the frontline in Islington, the service has become a vital part of the local support network.

John Warby, Partnership Manager at the Islington charity Help on Your Doorstep, said: “The CityCLAC is an invaluable referral partner for residents facing benefits, employment and housing issues. People thank us for giving their lives back, but CityCLAC truly makes it possible.”

Without the clinic, Warby says, local organisations would face even greater pressure – and vulnerable residents could be left without somewhere to turn.

“Vulnerable people would be forced to live in appalling conditions with nowhere to turn, risking devastating financial losses and ruined credit scores. CityCLAC genuinely keeps this community alive.”

Behind the figures are individual lives changed by timely legal help. One woman came to CityCLAC after finding herself unable to cope with a PIP application while living with serious health problems.

“Living with cancer, a brain injury, and COVID left me housebound and completely overwhelmed by the PIP application, but the City Community Legal Advice Centre was an absolute lifesaver. They adapted completely to my needs over the phone and took the time to understand my daily challenges.”

With CityCLAC’s support, she successfully secured a valuable PIP award and a Blue Badge, giving her access to disabled parking and greater independence.

“This exceptional support has lifted a massive financial burden, improved my mobility and restored my independence and peace of mind when I needed it most,” she said.

For those who use it, CityCLAC is more than a university law clinic. It is often the point at which an intimidating legal or bureaucratic problem becomes manageable – and where people who felt they had nowhere else to turn can find a way forward.

The University aims to empower not just its current students, but students from all over London to make sure education is not a privilege but a right. Several initiatives are undertaken to ensure that help is customised to those in need.

Funded by the Dame Alice Owen Foundation, Upward Bound is a programme designed to boost academic aspirations for young people in Islington in schools like the City of London Academy Islington, Highbury Fields School and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School amongst others. The initiative gives Year 9 and 10 students a unique opportunity to experience university life and engage with industry professionals. The Saturday maths and science enrichment classes on the university campus are a great highlight.

Maxine Bunting of Friends of Upward Bound UK highlighted the impact of the University’s partnership:

“The Upward Bound programme benefits immensely from the support of City St George’s. Through the provision of maths ambassadors, the University significantly enhances our Saturday lessons for Year 9 and 10 pupils. This assistance is invaluable, allowing our teaching staff to better meet every student’s needs through targeted support.”

At a time when they are in need of crucial guidance, the students are helped to make life-changing decisions through the support of the widening participation team and its volunteers.

“These ambassadors serve as inspiring role models, helping young people envision the opportunities available in higher education. The Friends of Upward Bound UK Charity is extremely grateful for this partnership and the considerable value it brings to the Upward Bound community,” Maxine added.

Princess Quaye, a BA Journalism student at City St George’s and an ambassador for the programme reflected on her tutoring journey of two years: “Teaching at Upward Bound has been incredibly rewarding. Witnessing the students’ academic growth and confidence has taught me patience, while collaborating with fellow ambassadors sharpened my communication and teamwork skills. It’s a beautiful, close-knit community that has truly shaped both my personal growth and my future in journalism.”

Through initiatives like career fairs and free summer schools, the widening participation team works to ensure education is inclusive, with a specific focus on supporting those with special needs.

Catherine Young, Careers Lead at Saint Cecilia’s Church of England School, frequently participates in these university programmes: “City St George’s stands out because of the sheer variety of what they offer. The organisation’s diversity makes it feel accessible to everyone.”

The recent Tooting careers fair prompted students to reconsider their chosen medical specialties by giving them a glimpse of what different paths within medicine look like.

“Our students gained a much clearer grasp of medical career paths, which previously felt quite abstract to them. It would be fantastic to see more universities and employers adopt this approach,” Catherine added.

The University is also involved with The Scholars Programme, an initiative under the collaboration with The Brilliant Club to promote fair access to higher education. PhD tutors are placed in schools to teach university-style modules.

A spokesperson from The Brilliant Club said: “City St George’s has made an important contribution to widening access to higher education through its partnership with The Brilliant Club. In 2025–26, the University hosted six graduation events for 409 students completing The Scholars Programme, bringing the partnership total to 27 events and 1,675 school students engaged. Feedback shows the impact: at least 80 per cent of students said the events made them excited about the programme and at least 86 per cent of teachers said students were more informed about university and more comfortable with the idea of attending.

“Researchers also provide direct academic support, with two tutors working with 71 students across four schools this year, bringing the tutoring total to 275 students since the partnership began. Together, this combination of academic tutoring and campus experiences helps young people build confidence, critical thinking, communication and independent-study skills that support their future education and career ambitions.”

The University’s philanthropic work extends beyond the campus or Islington. City St George’s is part of the University of London, and it makes sure to honour that by working with councils and charities to transform lives across the capital.

Impact London Collective is a charity that aggregates contributions from its members to award grants, with a mission centred on empowering marginalised women and girls throughout London.

Benedicte de Nonneville, Student Programme Co-Lead at ILC said: “Impact London Collective partnered with City St George’s because of the exceptional calibre and diversity of its Bayes Philanthropy Master’s students, whose expertise brings immense value to our community and supported charities. This collaboration has deepened understanding of collective philanthropy and issues affecting women and girls in London.”

Several alumni of the philanthropy programme event ended up joining the ILC in key operational roles.

“Thorough student research on Participatory Grant Making enabled us to successfully trial a new model last year, bringing vital new voices and valuable procedural feedback to our grant-making table.”

In March 2026, the University partnered with The BIG South London to formulate the South London Colleges and Universities Partnership involving several other institutions to drive innovation-led economic growth, boost local employment and bridge the gap between higher education and local communities across the South London boroughs.

Paul Kirkbright – Programme Director at BIG South London commented on the joint venture: “City St George’s collaborative approach within the 2026–2029 SLCUP framework serves as a location-specific road map built on deep-rooted, democratically legitimate relationships with local government.

“In an era of immense financial sector strain where many institutions are rolling back external initiatives, their seat at the table is proof of a genuine commitment to civic engagement. By refusing to treat community impact as an optional ‘third-stream’ line item, they weave these local partnerships directly back into their core mission, using real-world community insights to enrich research, transform teaching and ultimately create an unmatched environment for students who choose to study and live in South London.”

Whether through legal advice in Clerkenwell, a Saturday classroom in Islington, or a partnership board in South London, City St George’s is putting its civic mission into practice, one relationship at a time.