Paul Ho had recently participated in our Social Hackathons. Here, he shares his experience devising ideas for Ataxia, the leading national charity in the Uk for people affected by any type of ataxia.
Where did you hear about the Social Hackathons and what made you apply?
Through the SU Volunteering Newsletter. I had done a few social hackathons before and really loved the experience every time.
Was the Hackathon what you expected? Why/why not?
Yes, although I didn’t expect it to be shorter (with a 12pm start) and I would have like to have a little more time for research and preparing for the presentation. However, I think the shorter time made the hackathon much more manageable and I still had energy to do other projects after 4pm.
Do you feel as though you’ve learned new skills or developed your existing skills? If so, what are they?
Yes! I’ve learnt how to manage time better though other people, learnt when to take a step back and let other students perform their best and refined my skills in how to include everyone in a conversation.
Do you feel as though you’ve made a difference to the charity? If so, how?
Definitely. Hopefully, by improving Ataxia’s social media, they can receive more engagement, funding and awareness.
Have you enjoyed the experience?
Yes! I’ve really learnt a lot and enjoyed speaking and interacting with other UCL students.
Would you recommend these events to others?
Yes.
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