Apply for our special Social Hackathon day on 7 November!
IMPORTANT UPDATE: THE DATE MIGHT CHANGE DUE TO TUBE STRIKES ON THE 7th.
Applications are now open!
There will be an event celebrating the collaboration between volunteers and organisations after the social hackathons!
What are Social Hackathons?
Get ready for our Social Hackathons – where students gather to hack away at real-world problems, but with our own twist! 🎨
🔍 Volunteers are paired with local not-for-profit organizations for a day of problem-solving and solution-creating fun. In teams, you'll tackle issues head-on, learn from industry pros, and connect with new communities across London.
🤝 Plus, with a group of fellow UCL students by your side, it's not just about making an impact – it's also a fantastic opportunity to forge new friendships and hone your skills!
Join us for an unforgettable experience of learning, collaboration, and making a difference with a dash of fun thrown in!
Read more about our previous hackathons and what students got out of them here.
Tell me more...
We've scoured London for some amazing non-profit organisations with pressing challenges that could really use some innovation or solutions. And that's where you come in!
Heard the idiom Two Heads Are Better Than One? It simply means it's easier for two people to figure out a problem together than it is for one person to solve a problem alone. We really believe this and it's where the magic of Social Hackathons really happens...
Imagine...up to 20 people working on a problem set by a non-profit whose sole purpose is to make things better for vulnerable people or global challenges like food poverty or the climate crisis... That's 20 different perspectives coming together. That's 20 different academic backgrounds applied to the same thing.
The beauty is that in solving the problems together, it's not just the Challenger Charity that gains new knowledge - you will learn too. You'll learn from all the others in your team, maybe
- Tips and tricks they have for apps that help with managing all your coursework!
- Tips for great places to eat in London!
- The best library on campus!
I don't have anyone to go with
Totally fine! You'll be welcomed by someone from the super friendly Volunteering Team and they'll orientate you in the space and help introduce you to other students. We will always be there to make sure a fun, friendly, and inclusive space is maintained throughout. Our events celebrate difference and no one is out of place at a Social Hackathon!
We know that takes a little trust on your part. If you want to chat anything through with one of our students who work in the team, they'll give you a really honest answer to any questions you might have. Drop them an email: [email protected]
What skills can I flex?
Think about the last assignment you had to do. Let's say it was a literature review... Did you hate it? Couldn't see the point? Don't think it's relevant here, to a charity? Wrong!
Honestly, you think all you're doing is a literature review actually what you're doing is
- Thinking systematically, assessing written documents according to certain criteria
- Flexing critical thinking skills
- Collating high volumes of information
- Using interpretation skills to work out a higher-level understanding of a lot of data
- Sense-making and reporting
Why would that help a charity? Well we lose count of the number of times a charity will say to us It would be really good to know what works in terms of improving things for young migrant mothers* or I wonder what other charities like us are doing?
So - your literature review skills that you just use for coursework could actually really help out a non-profit organisation and who knows - improve practice? Enable them know what to change about their delivery? Actual real world impact!
* this exact thing has never been said to us but plenty like it, just not necessarily about young, migrant mothers.
What do I have to do?
There's up to 80 spots on each Social Hackathon. Keep an eye out for the non-profits and their challenges below.
Tell me what the day looks like
Team forming & challenge setting
You will start the day by doing some icebreakers to get to know your team mates
Ideation
You will join your team to research and brainstorm ideas based on the organisation's problems
Solution finding & innovation
After initial brainstorming, the teams will come back together to discuss them and start working on the solutions you will be presenting to the organisation
Creation
You will create an output based on your research and ideas that the organisation will be able to use going forward
Reflection & presenting
After presenting your output, you will reflect on the session as a group and give feedback
Celebrating
And to top it all off, we'll celebrate your collaborative efforts with a special party at UCL East! This is your chance to mingle and connect with fellow hackathon volunteers and representatives from the organizations you've worked with. It's a wonderful opportunity to celebrate your achievements, forge new connections, and bask in the joy of making a positive impact together! 🥳
Application
Applications are now open, you can submit yours here.
You will be asked to provide details on your knowledge and experience, and what you would like to get out of volunteering - this will allow us, combined with your availability, to pair you with the charity you could give the most support to.
Reach out to us if you have any questions!