Empowering campus talent: Student freelancers win funding to accelerate their craft
Introduced for the first time this year, our brand-new Freelancers Guild Prize offers a share of £400 to student freelancers and sole traders launching creative services or products.
The Freelancers Guild operates as a member-led collective built on the principles of autonomy, collective power, and economic agency.
As the University’s Freelance Talent Directory, we are here to help students live the portfolio life by elevating their creative practice and connecting them with a network of collaborators.
Over the past year, we have been exploring the variety of freelance activity across the University community. Many students have joined the guild to share their craft and receive advice on developing their side-hustle, which we have advised on through our personalised portfolio review.
Members were invited to submit applications for financial support, with funding available from Santander, as part of the 2026 Awards Showcase.
The funding aims to help students accelerate the development of their work. Candidates were assessed on three main criteria:
- What business activity have you undertaken in the last 3 months?
- What currently, is the main challenge or potential opportunity you are facing that is either holding your freelance business back or would propel your business forward were you able to take it?
- Please explain how a prize with funding will help you to overcome this challenge or realise this opportunity?
Following a competitive review process, we are thrilled to announce the two student freelancers who have been awarded a share of the £400 Freelancers Guild Prize.
Congratulations to Libby Evens and Jayden Camm.
Both Camm Tutoring and Libby Sonder demonstrated significant efforts to improve their side-hustle over the last three months, understanding both their strengths and limitations for growth, while most appropriately allocating tangible outcomes to the funding.
Winner - £200
Over the past three months, Camm Tutoring has grown to an independent STEM tutoring business, supporting KS3 to A-level students across Barnsley, and online.
At this moment, the business is stable but at an inflection point: either it remains small-scale and time-bound, or it evolves into a structured, impact-driven educational venture.
The most significant challenge I currently face is transitioning from a high-performing but capacity-limited one-to-one tutoring model into a scalable, structured educational enterprise.
Funding would allow me to move from a labour-intensive tutoring model to a scalable, professionally structured STEM education business. More importantly, success will mean moving from an individual tutoring service to a scalable model capable of expanding access to high-quality STEM support.
Jayden Camm
Camm Tutoring
Learn more about Camm Tutoring
Winner - £200
Over the past three months, I have established and developed my photography practice under the name libby.sonder. I have produced a focused body of work centred on nighttime urban environments, using bold neon contrast and dark tones to create a distinctive, contemporary visual style.
The term “sonder” -- the realisation that every person we encounter is living a life as vivid and complex as our own — is central to my work. I use this concept to capture overlooked moments within everyday city life, encouraging viewers to find meaning in the ordinary.
The most significant challenge I currently face is gaining access to opportunities where I can present my work, pitch my ideas, and be involved in creative projects. Photography is a highly competitive industry, and while I have developed a strong visual identity and clear concept through libby.sonder, breaking through and getting my work in front of the right people remains the key barrier.
A prize with funding would allow me to directly overcome the key barrier in my freelance development: access to professional tools and opportunities to showcase my work at a higher level and actively establishing a sustainable freelance career
Libby Evans
Libby Evans
View Libby.Sonder on Instagram
Over the summer, we aim to expand our portfolio of freelancers and promote our virtual creators wall, allowing creators across the university to be recognised for their skills.
Our Mission is to showcase the collective talent of side-hustles from across the University community.
Our Vision is to promote a portfolio career path building a Digital Directory that legitimises the "side-hustle" and prepares students for a portfolio life.
Join us to ensure your work gets the recognition it deserves while building a career on your own terms.
