Small charities are full of good ideas they never get to act on.
Not because the ideas aren’t worth pursuing — but because the capacity simply isn’t there. No time to research, prototype, or pressure-test. The day-to-day leaves little room for the strategic.
This hackathon was designed to change that, even just for a day.
The challenge
A team of 12 interns from one of our corporate partners took on real-world challenges facing two Raise Your Hands charities — Kidscape and StreetDoctors.
Rather than a traditional volunteering day, this hackathon gave both charities something more valuable: access to fresh thinking, specialist skills, and dedicated time to explore ideas that would otherwise sit on the backburner.
Kidscape wanted to understand whether an AI chatbot could provide instant, compassionate, and accurate support to parents and carers around the clock — and whether such a tool could genuinely reflect the warmth and sensitivity families need in moments of crisis.
StreetDoctors were exploring innovative digital solutions to help youth organisations better access their life-saving sessions and resources — unlocking a route to greater reach and impact.
What happened on the day
The intern teams worked closely with charity leads throughout a structured day of check-ins, collaboration, and creative sprints.
Guided by real frontline insight, they built and tested solutions — applying both technical skill and strategic thinking in equal measure.
The impact
StreetDoctors
The hackathon arrived at exactly the right moment — midway through StreetDoctors’ website redevelopment. The prototype delivered was more comprehensive than expected, and the process required far less internal capacity than anticipated, thanks to how quickly the team grasped the brief.
“What a brilliant event. The team were amazing and created exactly what we needed in such a short amount of time.”
In short: the volunteers helped accelerate a digital project that would have taken months to resource internally.
Kidscape
Kidscape described the experience as “incredibly useful” — not just for what was built, but for what it revealed. The team’s questions and reflections prompted Kidscape to confront some fundamental considerations about their idea:
Where might AI genuinely help — and where will human support always be essential? Can a chatbot provide empathetic, real-time responses in situations involving trauma or bullying? Is it realistic to replicate, through technology, the warmth that families rely on from Kidscape?
The day gave Kidscape clarity on where AI could work well — navigation, signposting, information — and honesty about where the complexity and emotional responsibility of crisis support means it cannot.
“As a tiny team, having access to this kind of external support is absolutely crucial.”
n short: the volunteers didn’t just develop a prototype. They helped Kidscape understand whether the idea was viable, what it would require, and what responsible delivery would look like.
Why this kind of volunteering matters
When skilled people give their time to real organisational challenges, the impact doesn’t end when the day does. Small charities leave with accelerated projects, tested ideas, and clearer strategic thinking — the kind of progress that shapes how they support young people long into the future.
A well-structured day. Motivated teams. Work that continues to matter.
About Raise Your Hands Partners We’re a UK-based social impact consultancy working exclusively with finance firms, asset managers, and PE houses to build bespoke corporate giving and volunteering programmes. Since 2015, we’ve directed over £4M to a vetted portfolio of 16 high-impact small charities supporting children and young people across the UK.
If you’d like to explore what this could look like for your team, we’d love to hear from you.
