Students at the Heart of Knowledge Exchange (SHoKE)

Students at the Heart of Knowledge Exchange (SHoKE) - ARU offers a unique opportunity to students to work in diverse teams with partner organisations on urgent social challenges. The programme's success in engaging disadvantaged students in KE has been recognised in its shortlisting for an outstanding contribution to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion by the Times Education Award and SHoKE has become a flagship project for ARU’s civic engagement.

Our student's involvement with the Social Spark project began in October when we ran a 24-hour challenge with Basildon Borough Council, who challenged our students to suggest solutions for improving accessibility to health and wellbeing services through becoming more physically active. The student team were asked to look at innovative communications and engagement methods that gyms can utilise to attract hard-to-reach community groups. The students shared their suggestions with Basildon Borough Council and Feelgood Fitness. The feedback was very positive with some of the student ideas being implemented.

The next project is scheduled for November when the Social Spark team will share a major challenge with the ARU community:

“How can Social Spark partners further strengthen the social economy of Basildon to better support those with long term health conditions and/ or barriers to employment to live fulfilling lives and maximise their contribution to the local economy?”

The students have been invited to a launch event where the Social Spark team will present the challenge details and answer student questions. Students will be invited to put forward their creative ideas.

In December the Social Spark team will select 4 ideas for further development. In January, working alongside the Social Spark partners, the SHoKE postgraduate student project teams will develop ideas for implementation by the Social Spark partners.

SHoKE@aru.ac.uk