26 Jul 2013

Otago student service helping the community

6:09 pm on 26 July 2013

A group of enterprising students at the University of Otago have created their own consultancy service to get business experience for their CVs.

In 2010, Ignite Consultants began as a free service for Dunedin's not-for-profit sector. The students had one project, but this has quickly grown to six a year involving 30 students.

This year, a team of five students helped the ChatBus Trust to develop a marketing plan. The world-first mobile counselling service for primary school children has struggled to find ongoing funding.

ChatBus founder Averil Pierce said working with the students was amazing. She said she met with them just a few times and in two months they drew up a marketing plan complete with contacts willing to help fund each part.

Amr El Sawaf is in his fifth and final year of law and international business degrees and said he applied for the project because he wanted "real world" experience and to put theory into practice.

Ignite Consultants' executive director Victoria Watt said the scheme's success has been pairing talented, passionate students with organisations that need help.

ChatBus founder Averil Pierce, left, with Ignite Consultants student volunteers Victoria Watt, Ella Monahan and Amr El Sawaf.

ChatBus founder Averil Pierce, left, with Ignite Consultants student volunteers Victoria Watt, Ella Monahan and Amr El Sawaf. Photo: RNZ