BU Research Blog

There are new projects in the Student Project Bank! Projects are available to all undergraduate and postgraduate students at BU and can be used for their dissertation, assignment, unit or group work. Members of staff may also choose a project to set to their students.

SPB068: Raising the Profile of Bradford Abbas Village

The aim of this project is to provide better information about the village for visitors and members of the community. The information is to be both historical and current; i.e. an ‘interpretation board’ that explains the history, people and places associated with the village; and the ‘village plan statement’ located on the Parish Council website. This project will involve working with Bradford Abbas Parish Council and Bradford Abbas History Society.

SPB073: Mapping of signing up user journey for financial products

Harmoney is a not-for-profit organisation with a mission to help people to manage their money better, particularly so that it doesn’t cause worry, stress, or mental distress. Their initial service is providing advice on welfare benefits and debt problems. This project involved mapping the signing up user journeys of existing online current account and budgeting products, particularly those built for smartphones (like Monzo) and new innovative services (like Squirrel). You will be looking for similarities between the maps and assessing what works well and what doesn’t.  These findings will be used to make recommendations for our product.

SPB074: Mapping of user journey of financial products

Harmoney is a not-for-profit organisation with a mission to help people to manage their money better, particularly so that it doesn’t cause worry, stress, or mental distress. Their initial service is providing advice on welfare benefits and debt problems. This purpose of this project is to map the user journeys of existing online current account and budgeting products, to undertake tasks such as setting up regular payments, making transfers, checking balance. You will be looking for similarities between the maps and assessing what works well and what doesn’t. These findings will be used to make recommendations for our product.

SPB075: Harmoney cyber security

Harmoney is a not-for-profit organisation with a mission to help people to manage their money better, particularly so that it doesn’t cause worry, stress, or mental distress. Their initial service is providing advice on welfare benefits and debt problems. Map out security methods used by existing services of online current account products.  What are the options?  What direction might these tools be going in in relation to security?  Are costs considered? What is the user preference?  These findings will be used to make recommendations for our product.

SPB081: Cherry Tree Nursery Website Revamp

Cherry Tree Nursery is part of the Sheltered Work Opportunities project, a registered charity based in Bournemouth serving the local Community. We were set up to address the great need for meaningful occupation, in a supportive and pressure free environment, for adults with severe and enduring mental illness. Cherry Tree Nursery’s website is out dated and needs a revamp to bring it in line with modern website design and to attract new visitors to the charity.

Apply now

A complete list of projects is available here. Send us an email to request a project brief and application form.

There is a new project from Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in the Student Project Bank!

SPB0061: “I didn’t know that” – Good End of Life Care educational video for staff at Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Nationally and locally, the definition of End of Life Care is subjective and confused.  The term End of Life is frequently associated with the last days or week or two of life, at which point the focus of care is invariably limited to aiming to ensure a good death. Good End of Life Care should focus on helping people who may be approaching end of life to Live Well. The true definition of End of Life Care is “all of the care received in the last year of life” (recognising that this could extend to more than a year, or be shorter).

Create a short information video that all staff at Poole Hospital will watch voluntarily. The video must be informative, but delivered in a very imaginative and fun way. Two key messages need to be communicated:

1. End of Life Care is the last year of life not just when a person is dying
2. End of Life Care is EVERYONE’S responsibility

Apply now

Projects are available to all undergraduate and postgraduate students at BU and can be used for their dissertation, assignment, unit or group work. Members of staff may also choose a project to set to their students. A complete list of projects is available here. Send us an email to request a project brief and application form.

There are new projects in the Student Project Bank from Bournemouth CVS and Midlands Workplace Wellbeing!

Short project briefs are listed below and full briefs available upon request.

SPB059: Bournemouth Young Volunteers (BYV) – Profile Building

Design and implement a marketing strategy to help raise the profile of the BYV awards through marketing materials and social media. There will need to be tailored promotion around ‘volunteer week’, a week long series of events and an award ceremony celebrating volunteering.

SPB060: Rebrand of workplace health and wellbeing company

Midlands Workplace Wellbeing Ltd works with employers to create happy and healthy employees through consultancy, training and health activities. Help Midlands Workplace Wellbeing Ltd rebrand the business as Mindful Workplace Wellbeing. They are looking to find a new identity that has impact whilst still remaining professional in order to increase their client base.

Apply now

There are new projects in the Student Project Bank from Jo Huey and Noc’s Box in the following areas:

• Business, management and marketing
• Computer animation and visual effects
• Media and communications

Short briefs are listed below,  full project briefs are available upon request.

SPB048: Animation to raise awareness of the support available to adult children of alcoholics

Create a 2-3 minute animation that highlights the key characteristics of adult children of alcoholics (ACOA) and conveys a message that they are not alone and that change is possible.

SPB057: Raising the Game at Noc’s

Noc’s Box uses Gaming (PvP-face-to-face; Skirmish/Warhammer/Empire of the Dead…; and Role Play games) to help people with high social anxieties such as Asperger’s and other social communication/mental health issues to meet in a safe, supportive environment and, through the medium of gaming, to develop their confidence, communication and other life skills. Noc’s needs to reach more potential customers/users both in order to sustain the current business and our clubs and, vitally, to help to convince potential funders to sponsor them as a newly-formed charity. Create a marketing strategy for Noc’s Box with specific recommendations.

 SPB058: Raising the Game at Noc’s: Promotional Video

Noc’s Box uses Gaming (PvP-face-to-face; Skirmish/Warhammer/Empire of the Dead…; and Role Play games) to help people with high social anxieties such as Asperger’s and other social communication/mental health issues to meet in a safe, supportive environment and, through the medium of gaming, to develop their confidence, communication and other life skills. Noc’s needs to reach more potential customers/users both in order to sustain the current business and our clubs and, vitally, to help to convince potential funders to sponsor them as a newly-formed charity. Produce a short (3 minute) promotional video for Noc’s to use to promote the charity.

Apply now

In our second spotlight, Siobhán Davis, Project Coordinator for the Community Credits Scheme, tells us about Volunteer Centre Dorset and the Community Credits Scheme.

The Dorset Volunteer Centre is part of a national network of volunteer centres that help voluntary and community organisations recruit and manage their volunteers, and help people interested in volunteering to find interesting and enjoyable opportunities. The Volunteer Centre Dorset seeks to promote and develop volunteering to all throughout Dorset.

The Community Credits Scheme is focused on people with learning disabilities and supports them to volunteer within their local community by providing a volunteer mentor. In return for volunteering they and their volunteer mentor receive time credit notes which they can exchange for an activity of their choice. This might be learning something from another member of the scheme or buying a session at their local football club, gym or cinema.

People with learning disabilities have been excluded from many organisations in the past and The Community Credit Scheme helps to break down some of those barriers. The Volunteer Centre Dorset successfully piloted The Community Credits Scheme in four towns in Dorset in 2013. They are in the process of extending the scheme to North and East Dorset.

The Community Credits Scheme aims to:

• Set up volunteering placements for adults with mild learning disabilities and recruit mentors to support them
• Set up exchange venues in which the credit notes earned for each hour of volunteering can be exchanged
• Recruit befrienders to support people in exchanging credits if required
• Support organisations that offer placements
• Raise positive awareness of people with Learning disabilities.
• Recruit volunteers throughout Dorset

Volunteers at an awards evening

Why is the Community Credits Scheme so important?

This scheme is paving the way in supporting people with difficulties into volunteering through supported volunteering. The credit scheme is also helping the socially isolated by setting up focus groups and insuring individuals are kept informed about new voluntary placements and events. For each credit a person earns they can exchange it for a health and wellbeing activity. For most of us on a daily basis we find it easy to phone up our mates and go out for the evening. For someone with communication difficulties or travelling difficulties this is huge so we encourage people to live healthier lifestyles, meet new people and step out of their comfort zone. Individuals are learning new skills which are transferrable to the work place. We set up easy, achievable outcomes for individuals to meet which sometimes they have to step out of their comfort zone to achieve. With the support of volunteer mentors/befrienders they can move forward.  For organisations seeking new volunteers this is a huge game changer because support is provided.

 What do you hope to achieve by working with the Student Project Bank?

We are hoping to set up a good working partnership and to include students. We are also looking forward to new ideas being brought forward. We believe that some of Bournemouth University’s students have brilliant skills and knowledge which they could share. This could then be a beacon project in Dorset that we could share with other areas in England. Working with Bournemouth University would be an amazing step forward.

Do you want to get involved? The following projects are available with Volunteer Centre Dorset:

SPB002: Marketing strategy for Volunteer Centre Dorset’s Community Credit Scheme

Create a marketing strategy to raise awareness of Volunteer Centre Dorset’s Community Credit Scheme.

SPB003: Campaign strategy to raise positive awareness of people with learning disabilities in the community

Create a campaign to raise positive awareness of people with learning disabilities in the community.

SPB004: Evaluation strategy for The Community Credit Scheme in Christchurch

Create an evaluation strategy for Volunteer Centre Dorset’s Community Credit Scheme in Christchurch.

SPB005: Volunteering opportunities for individuals with learning disabilities: engagement and experience

Research the ways in which individuals with learning disabilities engage with and experience volunteering.

SPB006: Identify products charities sell to create sustainable income and make recommendations for Volunteer Centre Dorset

Research the products charities sell to create sustainable income and make recommendations to Volunteer Centre Dorset for a product or line of products they could sell to create income for, and raise awareness of, The Community Credit Scheme.

Find out more and apply. 

There are new projects in the Student Project Bank from Acts Fast, Civic Media Hub and the Diversity Trust in the following subject areas:

• Accounting, finance and economics
• Business, management and marketing
• Computing and information technology
• Health and social care, Social studies
• Tourism, hospitality and events

Short briefs are listed below and full project briefs are available upon request.

SPB051: Social media strategy for Acts Fast

Design a social media strategy that will enable Acts Fast (Abused Children’s Trauma Support, Family Advice & Strategy Team) to promote their support services to parent/carers and children under 16. Create a user guide that Acts Fast can use to train volunteers to carry out the strategy.

SPB052: Marketing strategy for Acts Fast

Create a marketing strategy that will enable Acts Fast (Abused Children’s Trauma Support, Family Advice & Strategy Team) to promote their support services to parent/carers and children under 16. Assist Acts Fast in the creation of strap lines for promotional materials and a core message that makes it clear who their support services are aimed at.

SPB053: Financial management plan for Acts Fast

Acts Fast (Abused Children’s Trauma Support, Family Advice & Strategy Team) is planning to expand in the future. Design a financial management plan that will enable them to plan for this expansion and allocate resources accordingly.

SPB054: Fundraising event for Acts Fast

Acts Fast (Abused Children’s Trauma Support, Family Advice & Strategy Team) is planning to run a fundraising gala. Work with them to plan and run the event – establish the best time of year, format and location.

SPB055: Build a database on housing in London

The Civic Media Hub at Bournemouth University is currently working with various housing organisations and groups in London that all record and store data in different ways. These stakeholder partners would like to share their resources more easily. Co-develop a database prototype with the project supervisors and stakeholders from a set of stakeholder’s user stories and a preliminary data infrastructure report.

SPB056: Trans Health Matters research project

Since 2012 the Diversity Trust has been researching the health needs of LGBT+ people and has found evidence to support national findings on trans experiences. To continue this work the Diversity Trust plans to carry out a research project into the specific health needs of trans people across Avon, Swindon and Wiltshire. Assist with data collection and analysis, and contribute to a report and final presentation.

Apply now

There are new projects in the Student Project Bank in the following subject areas:

• Business, management and marketing
• Computing and information technology
• Games and music technology
• Media and communications
• Social studies
• Tourism, hospitality and events

Shortened briefs are listed below. Send us an email to request a full project brief and an application form.

SPB032: Create an app for Royal Bournemouth Hospital’s 2017 open day

Create an app Royal Bournemouth Hospital visitors can use to find out more about the Open Day and sign up to the different health talks, tours and activities as well as see what time activities are scheduled for.

SPB040: Impact evaluation for We Do Ethical Fashion’s annual gala event

We Do Ethical Fashion run Love Dorset, an exciting annual gala event celebrating the county’s local businesses, natural capital and people. The aim of the gala is to start a conversation about making Dorset a fairtrade county within the next 5 years. Design a method for We Do Ethical Fashion to measure the impact of their event. This will be used evaluate the impact that they are making through the annual gala event and these data will be used to improve their methods year on year.

SPB044: Crowdfunding feasibility study and campaign design for charities

Help connect millions of people to the help they need when they need it and allow millions to offer their help to those less fortunate or in need. Help-in is a charity that aims to create a new social media platform designed to increase volunteering both hands on and virtually. Carry out a feasibility study into crowdfunding models for charitable organisations and use your findings to design a three week campaign with a soft launch. There will be the opportunity to implement the campaign if desired.

SPB045: Social media marketing and management plan for a local charity

Help connect millions of people to the help they need when they need it and allow millions to offer their help to those less fortunate or in need. Help-in is a charity that aims to create a new social media platform designed to increase volunteering both hands on and virtually. Design a social media marketing plan for a crowdfunding campaign and create a management plan for the marketing plan.

SPB046: Brand development for Help-in

Help connect millions of people to the help they need when they need it and allow millions to offer their help to those less fortunate or in need. Help-in is a charity that aims to create a new social media platform designed to increase volunteering both hands on and virtually. Work with Help-in to develop their brand. This will be used to influence the look and feel of their platform and across social media, the website and any printed materials.

SPB047: Social media platform prototype development for Help-in

Help connect millions of people to the help they need when they need it and allow millions to offer their help to those less fortunate or in need. Help-in is a charity that aims to create a new social media platform designed to increase volunteering both hands on and virtually. Work with Help-in to develop the above social media platform. All aspects must be scalable to cope with additions to details, projects, tick boxes and ultimately users. The Platform will be global, so there is a need to search for companies or project types in any part of the world.

• Business, management and marketing
• Health and social care
• Media and communications
• Sciences
• Social studies

New projects are available in the Student Project Bank! We have a wide variety of projects in the bank with organisations such as Macmillan Caring Locally, Volunteer Centre Dorset, Pause Cat Cafe and Faithworks Wessex. Projects are available to all undergraduate and postgraduate students at BU and can be used for their dissertation, assignment, unit or group work. Members of staff may also choose a project to set to their students.

The complete list of projects is available here.

New projects:

SPB033: Promotional video for Faithworks Wessex

Suitable for: Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Description: Create a video that showcases the work Faithworks does in the local community. There will be the opportunity to interview staff, volunteers and clients of Faithworks. This video will be used to raise the profile of the charity in the community and to attract volunteers.

SPB034: Video series to raise awareness of addiction and The Recovery Course

Suitable for: Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Description: Create a series of short videos to educate people around addiction and to promote St Swithuns Recovery Course. There will be the opportunity to work with the recovery ministry head, observe the course and to interview some members of the recovery course. These videos will be used as part of a national marketing and promotion campaign.

SPB035: Alcohol: Friend or Foe? Research project

Suitable for: Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Description: Identify and review existing research on the impact of alcohol consumption on the drinker and others. Identify gaps in the current literature and create a research methodology to address these gaps. Produce a report on your findings.

Apply now

If you would like to find out more and apply for one of the above projects, send us an email to request a project brief and an application form.