UCD offers free project teams to non-profits

12 July 2011

The UCD Quinn School of Business is currently seeking project submissions from charities and other non-profit organisations for inclusion in our Service Learning course for the coming academic year. This is a fantastic opportunity for those in the non-profit sector to benefit from having a team of enthusiastic business students available to complete a valuable business project.

What Is Service Learning?

Service Learning (or Community-Engagement) is a teaching method which encourages students to investigate issues affecting society by engaging with charitable and non-profit organisations to complete a business project. By working on community-based projects, students (1) apply knowledge learned in the classroom to real-life work in the voluntary or not-for-profit sector; and (2) contribute to the local community while learning real business skills, both inside and outside the classroom.

In UCD’s Service Learning course, students work in teams of four or five over the 12-week semester to complete a business project for a charity or non-profit organisation. In addition to their project work, students attend a 2-hour Service Learning lecture each week, where they receive coaching in project management techniques, develop their consulting skills, and gain further insights into the non-profit sector through assigned readings and guest speakers. In addition, students are required to make regular status report presentations in class, both to share their experiences and learn from their peers.

Why Get Involved?

The benefits to the organisation are clear: If an organisation’s project is selected, they will be assigned a team of students from the UCD Quinn School of Business to work on it. Each team member will spend an average of 6-8 hours per week working on the project, bringing not only their knowledge and skills, but also creativity and a fresh perspective.

To date, the Service Learning course has been a huge success, with students and charities alike praising its format, its clearly defined project process, and the fantastic results it has achieved for the participating organisations.

What Types of Projects Are Appropriate?

Projects should be strategic in nature, i.e. something of lasting value to the organisation. Examples of past projects include:

Reviewing an organisation’s existing website and suggesting modifications that will attract volunteers and encourage donors;
Identifying and evaluating opportunities within social media for introducing an new PR campaign and raising the organisation’s profile;
Designing creative initiatives and projects among new target markets, while reviewing the specific strategies similar organisations outside of Ireland are using and recommending how they might be successfully adapted for the local market.

What Is the Timeframe and Application Process?

This Service Learning course runs in both semesters, with one intake in September and the next in January; hence we will accept project submissions from interested charities and non-profit organisations twice each year!

If you would like to submit a project for consideration, please complete the Project Submission Template and return it via email to Kathleen.OReilly@ucd.ie. Organisations may submit more than one project for consideration, using a separate form for each one. If we cannot provide an organisation with a project team in one intake, the Service Learning Team will endeavour to facilitate them for the following intake.

If you have any questions about Service Learning or require additional information, please contact Kathleen.OReilly@ucd.ie.