Applications are now open for our Spring cohort. Deadline to apply is 14th February so apply today!

The Social Innovation Programme is run by Bristol Hub in partnership with the independent law firm, Burges Salmon. It is an initiative which brings together talented students to work on a challenge a charity, social enterprise or community organisation is facing.

The Social Innovation Programme is an excellent opportunity for students to apply the skills learnt throughout their degree to a tangible situation and have a positive impact on the local community.

Why do we run the Social Innovation Programme?

The increased pressure on third sector organisations to improve their efficiency and demonstrate their impact at a time of reduced funding has been problematic. We have identified that students are in an excellent position to support charities by adding capacity to existing projects and providing extra resources to spur new initiatives. Students bring a unique perspective and by using their specialised skills and knowledge.

What will I be doing?

Students work in teams of five, alongside a local organisation. Your team will receive a brief and over the 8 weeks, you will put together a report for your organisation, based on your findings, detailing your research and recommendations for solutions to their challenge.

You'll be working closely with your organisation throughout the programme, finding out more about them, their work and the broader social context of the challenges they are facing. You'll be conducting background research by looking at secondary data and collecting primary data, whether this is through interviews, focus groups or surveys. The scope of the programme is broad and much of the work is self-directed. You'll be guided and supported by your team mentor from Burges Salmon, and you will receive training from Bristol Hub and Burges Salmon.

As well as producing a report that will be an invaluable asset to your organisation, you'll present your findings at a showcase event at Burges Salmon. This is the perfect opportunity to practice one of those all important professional skills and finish the programme celebrating your incredibly hard work.

Here's what some of our previous participants have said about their time on the programme:

I loved working as part of a team towards something that was going to genuinely help a charity. It made it easy to spend the time doing the work as this was great motivation.

I was really moved by the value, people, and FoodCycle, the charity we worked with. I really appreciated the team I worked with, they were all wonderful, ambitious, supportive people that I want to keep in touch with.

Key Dates

Please review these dates before your application and reach out if you are concerned or have any questions!

• 14th February: Applications Close (please apply via the application form)
• 21st and 22nd February: Selection Workshops and projects teams created
• 1st March: The launch of the Social Innovation Programme at Burges Salmon
• 6th March: Training 1
• 15th March: Training 2
• 22nd March: Training 3
• 11th April: Training 4 (online)
• 14th April: Reports due
• 19th April: The Showcase of the Social Innovation Programme at Burges Salmon

Training and support

To equip you with the tools and support to complete your briefs as a team, Bristol Hub and Burges Salmon deliver a comprehensive training schedule as part of the programme. You will learn about:

• Project management
• Research design skills
• The social impact sector
• Problem solving
• Teamwork
• Report writing
• Effective public speaking

This volunteering opportunity is excellent for anyone who wants experience in consultancy or is considering a career in the social impact sector. Although you will develop key transferable skills for any career.

Bristol Hub and Burges Salmon are happy to provide a reference to anyone who completes the programme. You will also be rewarded with a badge of completion that can be shared on LinkedIn, and a certificate celebrating your achievements.

Examples of previous challenges

• Bristol Refugee Rights challenged students to research the need in Bristol for a 'Move On' project to support refugees to integrate and thrive.

• Bristol Hospitality Network challenged students to explore, present and propose the possibilities for setting up a social enterprise which would use the cooking skills of its clients to provide some form of paid culinary or catering service.

• North Bristol Foodbank challenged students to create a presentation and activity resources to take into schools in order to raise the profile of the North Bristol Foodbank as a service that either their families can access and/or a cause the pupils and their families can donate to.

Before you apply

The programme is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students, across all disciplines.

There are a few things you need to know before you apply:

• There are 20 places on the scheme and there is two-step application process - it is competitive! Take time on your application, and prepare for your selection workshop if are successful.

• We'll endeavour to match you with an organisation that you're interested in, but also a brief that fits with your skillset.

• The programme is a commitment of 3-6 hours a week. Before you apply, consider whether you are able to commit the amount of time needed for both you and the charities taking part, to get the most out of the Social Innovation Programme.

• You will need to be able to attend training sessions, the launch event and the showcase event to participate in the SIP. These take place on Wednesday afternoons throughout the eight weeks.

How to apply

• You will need to complete and submit an online application form.

• If your application is successful you will be invited to a selection workshop. You will be asked to complete a team challenge through which we will assess a variety of skills including: teamwork, adaptability, creativity and leadership.

• You don't need any specific experience to take part in the SIP - just an interest in the social impact sector and an eagerness to learn more about consulting and make a change in the community! If you are concerned about Covid-19, you can read our current covid-19 guidelines for more information.

Have any questions about the application process or need reasonable adjustments made? Please contact [email protected]. We are inclusive and encouraging of all University of Bristol students who want to volunteer, and welcome BAME, LGBTQ+ and disabled applicants.

Our Impact

In 2021 - 22 40 students and 8 organisations took part in the Social Innovation Programme. Their work was incredibly impactful for the organisations that faced challenges as a result of the pandemic.

Here's what the organisations that took part said:

I needed a project like this growing up, and I still need it now. I can state how grateful I am for the project because I was facing having to do the market research alone. This project made it a thousand times easier to do what I do and I can't wait to work on it again.

It was great to work with Bristol Hub student consultants because they were as professional and hardworking as any group of consultants, but had young people's understanding of social media usage and channels. They took care not to assume anything about our user base, but seemed to have an intrinsic understanding of digital communications.

If you want to hear more about our volunteers experiences, you can read our case studies here.

Read our 2021 - 22 Impact Report.

Accessibility and inclusion

Bristol Hub is committed to making our activities inclusive to all students. We can make reasonable adjustments to application processes, training sessions, volunteering projects and other activities on a case-by-case basis. We also provide ongoing support for the students we work with, so if you have particular accessibility needs, including special educational needs, please email [email protected] and let us know how we can make this activity more accessible. We ensure that all our activites, training and events are safe spaces, read our Safe Space Policy to learn more.

We’ve assessed the accessibility of all our opportunities and are able to discuss these with you prior to you starting your placement, this includes any reasonable adjustments we can make. All accessibility information will also be sent to you prior to your placement as standard.

This activity will require you to have access to a laptop/tablet to join training sessions and meetings. If you don't have access to tech please get in touch with Sorcha at [email protected].

The Bristol PLUS Award

Students can get recognition for taking part in extra-curricular events and projects run by Bristol Hub through the Bristol PLUS award, which is run by the Careers Service.

The Award provides a framework for students to reflect on the skills they have gained and learn how to articulate them effectively to future employers. For more details and learn how the PLUS Award could benefit you please see the Careers website.

Information for local organisations

We invite submissions from social impact organisations including: charities, social enterprises, community interest companies and community groups.

Our requirements for setting a challenge are:

• A problem-solving task whose outcome would be beneficial to both your organisation and the local community.

• The programme lasts for 8 weeks, so the brief must be something that is achievable within this timeframe.

• Your organisation will need to attend the launch and closing event, as well as staying in contact with team throughout the duration of the programme. This will make sure that they can provide consulting for you that is appropriate, informed and effective.

If you're interested in submitting a brief contact Sorcha via [email protected] to find out more.

Looking for other ways to get involved?

• Write a paid blog for Student Hubs about your social/environmental action experience!
• Join one of our FREE webinars/workshops to help boost your skills and enhance your volunteering experiences.
• Sign up to our weekly newsletter so you never miss out on our one-off events or volunteering opportunities again.

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