27 May 2019

It is a well-established fact the innovation comes from diversity. So it was of no surprise to staff of the Business School’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship that some radical ideas were generated at our Get Good Done programme by the diverse cohort of more than 60 students who participated in this weekend ideas hackathon.

Sponsored by the Ministry of Youth Development, Get Good Done tasks participants to come up with solutions to some of the biggest environmental, social, and cultural issues of our time – based on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The programme attracted participants from a kaleidoscope of cultures, interests, experiences and knowledge. Participants start as individuals and form teams based around a problem they are attracted to. Over the course of the weekend they dive deep into the problem and scope a solution.

Programme Manager Sinead Watson says that the teams were united in their genuine desire to collaboratively work together to solve complex issues around good health, climate action and making sustainable cities and communities. “It was magic watching their journey from strangers with a murky problem to united team with a crisp solution”.

Solutions presented included air-cleaning products, gamification apps to encourage people to use sustainable and healthier modes of transport, an online platform to help those with social anxiety and a support system for local farmers to reduce carbon produced through food freight and packaging.

Over the course of the weekend participants got to experience rapid ideation workshops where they used the power of design thinking to help question the problem, the assumptions, identify unknown problems and reframe them in human-centric ways. The programme team are grateful for the support of 19 collaborators from the international innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem who provided support to participants through mentorship. The staggering quality and thoughtful design of the programme was reflected back in the overwhelmingly positive feedback received.  Get Good Done had a Net Promoter Score of 89. The 2018 New Zealand benchmark NPS for the tertiary education sector is 20.

Bachelor of Commerce student Hector Holford says “I learnt a lot and had a blast. The best thing about the programme which really set it apart were the quality of the mentors and coaches, who were friendly and helpful but also super knowledgeable and experienced. Meeting a whole bunch of like-minded people was inspiring and the vibe was super inclusive and supportive. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to make a difference in the world, but unsure how.”

Consistent feedback from participants was that it was an incredibly challenging programme but worthwhile as it not only built a variety of skills but also helped participants to develop confidence. Many of the participants are now looking at progressing their ideas by participating in further innovation and entrepreneurship programmes.