Yu Liu is a BSc Economics and Statistics student here at UCL. Together with a group of fellow passionate UCL volunteers, she participated in our Social Hackathons to assist one of our partner organisations, KEEN UCL, through remote brainstorming sessions. Read on to find out more about her Hackathons experience, and why she chose to get involved!
What made you decide to sign up for the Hackathon?
I heard about the Social Hackathons during a digital volunteering talk and I wanted to improve my skills and put my ability into use by helping others.
Was the Hackathon what you expected?
Yes! It was really an amazing and meaningful experience. Working with group members to solve a problem by doing research and completing a report and presentation was interesting.
Have you learned new skills or developed existing ones?
Yes again! By doing research and discussing ideas in the group, it enhanced my analytical skills. We worked in a group of four people and there was also an instructor. They were all super nice!
Do you feel you've made a difference to the charity, or learned about a new community?
Yes - if the charity implements our idea, it would be useful as we tried to build up an online resources platform with high accessibility especially for disabled people. I also got more information about KEEN UCL which aims at more inclusion.
How did you find the digital aspect of the Hackathon?
I think the remote form of the Hackathons would not be a barrier as long as there is enthusiasm.
Have you enjoyed the Social Hackathon experience?
Although I was a little bit tired at the end because it was quite long, it was a very worthy and enjoyable experience. If there is a chance to, I would recommend it to others!
Inspired to join our next Social Hackathons? Don't miss our announcements and subscribe to our newsletter to find out when the next one will be held. You can also support charities anytime from home - check out our virtual volunteering roles here!