Apps4Good

Project overview

Homeless Project Scotland is a non-profit homelessness charity that was founded in 2019. The charity’s purpose is to feed and provide support to homeless and vulnerable people and families throughout Scotland. The purpose of this VIP4SD project is to design and develop a mobile app that can help the charity provide help more effectively and efficiently.

The charity has identified three features that they require most, all of which are directed at the public: media sharing, donations, and pinning rough sleeper locations. Successfully implementing all three of these features is the primary aim of this project. 

The app’s media feature will work alongside the charity’s pre-existing social media by pulling together stories from external sites (e.g. news outlets) and internal sites (e.g. Facebook) to be displayed on one platform. It would also allow the charity to post requests for resources and volunteers.

The donation feature of the app would aim to offer a new avenue for donations, removing the dependency on in-person donations and offering a more accessible alternative to the charity’s website.  

Finally, the main feature that the charity needs is for the public to have the ability to pin the locations of rough sleepers.  HPS runs a Street Team that walk through Glasgow looking for rough sleepers. They offer emergency food, shelter and accommodation which has saved many lives, particularly through winter.  However, this support only benefits rough sleepers who are easily spotted in the city center.  The charity does not have the time or resources to travel outside of Glasgow central, so collecting information on the whereabouts of rough sleepers will allow volunteers to travel directly from one location to another and therefore reach more people in need. 

What will students be working on?

Students will work on several aspects of this project. Firstly, the project needs to go through an internal ethical approval process, which students will work alongside University staff to complete and submit to the University Ethics Committee. This is invaluable experience for students and will emphasise the importance of research ethics.

While awaiting ethical approval, students will begin background work. Students in EEE, CES and CIS will work on learning programming skills necessary to build the app and make a start on app design. Students from the Business School will engage in market research and investigate similar apps. Students from all disciplines will work together on this aim.

Once ethical approval has been gained, students in all disciplines will work closely with the charity and engage with members of the public by carrying out interviews and surveys that will aid the project by identifying user needs.

Please note: availability can vary between degrees. Please contact your advisor of studies and the project lead for more information.

Have more questions, or want to get involved?

Please contact scott.strachan@strath.ac.uk.