Community Projects (Design Thinking)
Community Projects
qNomics Community Projects give students the opportunity to work with community organisations on real-world challenges and explore how economics can be used in different social and community contexts.
Students work collaboratively in teams, using approaches such as research, design thinking, survey design and data analysis to understand a challenge and develop practical outputs for a community partner.
Rather than working on a hypothetical case study, students engage with a live project shaped by the needs and experiences of the organisation they are working with. Community partners bring their own expertise and understanding of the issue, while students contribute academic knowledge, research skills and new perspectives.
Community Projects are designed primarily for all students in the School of Economics and Finance.
What will I do?
Your experience will depend on the project you are assigned to, but you may have the opportunity to:
- work with a community organisation on a real challenge;
- use design thinking to understand the needs of the people involved;
- design research or surveys to gather useful information;
- analyse and interpret data;
- work collaboratively with other students;
- translate research and economic thinking into practical outputs;
- present your findings and recommendations to the community partner.
Students receive training and support throughout the process and are expected to take an active role in developing their project.
How does the programme work?
Community Projects follow a structured project journey.
Students begin with introductory training designed to help them understand community-engaged working, design thinking and the project challenge.
Teams then move into the research and development phase, applying the tools relevant to their particular project. This may include survey design, data analysis or the development of resources and recommendations.
Throughout the project, students take part in scheduled check-ins to discuss their progress, work through challenges and prepare their final output.
The project concludes with an in-person presentation, giving teams the opportunity to share their work with the community collaborator and reflect on what they have learned through the experience.
Most scheduled qNomics activities take place on Wednesday afternoons. Students should therefore keep this time available for programme activities, while also being prepared for some flexibility when working with external collaborators.
Current Community Projects – 2026/27
Mile End Climbing Wall
Students will work with Mile End Climbing Wall to build on previous research into its users and community.
The project has two complementary strands:
Survey Design
Students will develop an updated survey to help the organisation better understand its users, experiences and priorities.
Data Analysis
Students will work with data generated through the project to identify patterns, develop insights and communicate findings that can support the organisation’s decision-making.
Both strands allow students to see how research methods and economic thinking can be applied to a real organisation and a real community.
Financial Literacy Community Project
Students will work alongside community partners to explore financial literacy needs and contribute to the development of accessible resources around topics such as household budgeting, student finance and navigating financial systems.
The project will place particular emphasis on understanding the experiences and priorities of the communities involved before developing resources or recommendations.
What are we looking for?
You do not need previous consultancy or community-engagement experience to take part.
We are looking for students who are:
- curious and willing to learn;
- able to work collaboratively with others;
- prepared to conduct research and engage critically with information;
- organised and able to meet project deadlines;
- willing to listen to different perspectives;
- committed to participating actively throughout the project.
Because you will be working with external partners and communities, reliability, respect and flexibility are particularly important.
FAQ
Hopefully the other pages on our website have answered most questions, but here are some other questions we get asked.
The time commitment will vary across the academic year because the Community Projects programme is structured in two distinct phases.
During Semester A, students complete a substantial programme of training and take part in an internal School of Economics and Finance project. This first phase is designed to build the skills, confidence and experience needed before working directly with community collaborators. You should therefore expect a busy programme of workshops, team activities, research and project work.
During Semester B, the focus shifts to direct community engagement. Student teams will work with community partners through the Design Thinking Challenge, applying the skills developed during Semester A to a real-world challenge. This stage will involve engagement with the partner, team-based research and development, project work, and preparation of the final output and presentation.
Most scheduled qNomics activities take place on Wednesday afternoons, and students should treat this as their main qNomics commitment time. However, because you will be working with external community collaborators during Semester B, some flexibility may occasionally be required to accommodate partner availability and project needs.
The workload will therefore vary from week to week and between semesters. qNomics is a meaningful commitment, and students are expected to participate consistently, contribute actively to their team and keep their project moving forward throughout the programme.
No previous experience in community engagement, design thinking or consultancy is required.
Semester A is specifically designed to prepare you for the experience. You will take part in training and complete an internal project within the School of Economics and Finance, giving you the opportunity to practise key skills before working directly with our community collaborators in Semester B.
We are looking for students who are curious, willing to learn, able to work collaboratively and prepared to engage seriously with research and different perspectives.
Strong communication, organisation and research skills will help you make the most of the programme, but you are not expected to arrive with all of these skills fully developed. qNomics is also an opportunity to build them.
What matters most is your willingness to participate actively, contribute to your team and approach our community collaborators with respect, openness and a readiness to listen and learn.
Successful participation in Community Projects is formally recognised as part of your qNomics experience.
Students who complete the programme and meet the expected standards of participation will be eligible to receive a qNomics certificate and HEAR accreditation, with their participation recorded on their Higher Education Achievement Report.
Students who make a meaningful contribution to the programme may also request a reference letter reflecting their involvement in qNomics and the skills demonstrated throughout the project.
Recognition is based on your engagement across the full programme journey, not simply attendance. This includes:
- participating actively in the Semester A training programme;
- contributing to the internal School of Economics and Finance project;
- engaging professionally and respectfully with community collaborators in Semester B;
- contributing consistently to your team and project work;
- meeting agreed deadlines and programme expectations; and
- contributing to the successful completion and presentation of the final project.
The aim is for you to leave qNomics with more than a certificate: you should have a substantive experience that you can draw on in future applications, interviews and professional opportunities, with clear examples of teamwork, research, community engagement and applying economics beyond the classroom.