Keele University

KEELE UNIVERSITY Students support local charities

More than 70 students from Keele University’s Business School have worked alongside local charities to support their recovery from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

As part of asocial enterprise module taught by Dr Xuebing Cao and Dr Moshood Bello, the students worked in small groupstohelp 11 local non-profit organisations such as the Alice Charity, Brighter Futures, and Canine Partners find practical solutions to real life challenges they were facing.

The students interviewed CEOs and representatives from the organisations and provided arange of recommendations to help them overcome issues they are facing such as ways they can adapt their business modelin accordance with Covid, suggesting new marketing techniques,and ways to increase the success of fundraising activities.

Florian Michelmann, athird-year international student, said: “The module provided me with new insight on theworkand mission of non-profit organisations and the challenges they face. Ireally liked that guest speakers were invited to describe theirindividual experiences in different businesses. Moreover, the group assessment helped me to strengthen my skills regarding organising projects, and allowed me to take anew perspectiveofbusiness and management. “Working with Alice Charity was superb, and we worked with their HR director to provide a number of recommendations including ways to help them attract theright talent to work at the social enterprise and advising them to consider changing their branding to better represent their services as they are currently very femaleorientated through their logo and use of imagery."

These recommendations were thenpresented to the organisations through online group presentations and areport, with many of the organisations giving positive feedback and supporting the students’ recommendations.

Kayla Poole, HR Director at Alice Charity, said: “It was an absolute pleasure to work with the students and hear their ideas and solutions to organisational problems. They came to each problem with fresh, innovate and creative ideas.”

Erin Sohnrey, asecond-year Human Resource Management and International Business student, said: “The experience of working with Brighter Futures has made me more aware of how much Staffordshire is affected by homelessness and poverty and how this is linked to other socio-economic problems such as mental illness, helplessnessand exploitation. “The module taught me how HR can support individuals who may come from difficult circumstances and the important role that social enterprises play. In my opinion, Ithink the organisation benefitted by the work we did and suggestions we made, and now fellow students are more familiar with arange of societal issues.”