Project Examples

The project was set by a social enterprise involved in delivering employability and mental health services to schools in the region. Students were tasked with creating a marketing campaign to increase the awareness in Sheffield secondary schools and colleges of the various services provided by the organisation. Students developed a strategy and assets for two audiences: 

1. Young people (11-18) - to raise awareness of the support available to them

2. Senior administration – to attract additional funding / buy-in from schools to deliver our services

Outcomes: The project contributed to the organisation's aim to drive self-referrals from young people, and attract additional funding from schools and colleges 

This project focused on analysing the current eCommerce logistics market in Sheffield to identify opportunities for the business to enhance its brand visibility and social media engagement. The main objectives were to determine key marketing channels, craft a unique brand voice, and create a foundational strategy for implementation over the next 12 months.

The students evaluated competitors, customer behaviours, and marketing trends to propose a fitting marketing and social strategy. 

Outcomes: The project helped to boost brand visibility, attract new clients, and align services with market demands, creating a scalable framework for sustainable growth and a stronger competitive edge. 

The project was set by a Planning Consultancy who have hosted various internships over a number of years. This particular project involved undertaking desk-based research to inform a housing and economic development needs assessment. This supported a live project undertaken on behalf of a local authority client and the outputs were to be used as evidence to support their emerging Local Plan. 

The students were fully briefed on the project at the start and support provided by staff within the organisation's strategic planning research team. After undertaking desk-based research the students were supported to analyse their research findings (including qualitative and quantitative analytical techniques) and in writing up their findings in a report. 

Outcomes: the business was able to use the research findings as part of a wider evidence base 

Many Third sector organisations have partnered with us in previous years to develop fundraising strategies. With this project, students had the opportunity to dive into donor motivations, giving trends, and campaign strategy to support the charity's vital work.

The project involved:

• Conducting Research: Exploring why people donate, how other charities engage donors, and what messaging drive both one-off and regular giving.

• Analysing Data: Use donor, website, and social media insights to identify giving patterns and trends.

• Proposing Campaign Ideas: Develop creative themes, sample messaging, and visuals for a new regular giving campaign.

• Create a Strategy: Design a giving calendar and marketing plan, recommending timing, channels, and audience segments to maximize impact.

Outcomes: The charity gained valuable insights to inform future fundraising campaigns, and a campaign plan and assets that could be put to use immediately. Students gained insight into the charity sector and the motivations of those who give, along with the chance to shape a real campaign supporting young people in need.

This was one of two projects set by the same organisation in 2025. The business was exploring opportunities to develop flexible workspaces in local transport hubs. As part of this, the student project was established to compile and present compelling evidence demonstrating the benefits of autism-friendly workspaces

Deliverables were identified:

1. Project Proposal: A detailed document outlining the project's scope, objectives, expected outcomes, and significance 

2. Stakeholder Analysis: Identify key stakeholders, and develop engagement strategies to incorporate their insights and obtain endorsements.

3. Literature Review: review of existing research, summarising key data and findings

4. Analysis: identify key benefits of autism-friendly workspaces, using case studies

Create visual representations (charts, graphs, infographics) to illustrate findings along with a written report

5. Proposal - develop materials to promote findings to potential clients

Outcomes: The student was able to synthesise a range of literature and case studies to inform business development 

This small accountancy firm were looking for a new HR platform that could support the team, both from the legal HR requirements but also from a learning and development perspective and to provide all the support employees need to thrive. 

Students spent time learning about the business requirements and then researched the market for suitable options. The business provided some suggestions as to platforms, but students explored new alternatives, set up meetings to establish costs and benefits for each system, and made recommendations based on their research. 

Outcomes: the research offered the business a major step towards adoption of a new system. The student had an interest in HR careers so the project offered valuable learning about HR functions within a small business

This growing law firm in Sheffield was keen to develop initiatives on Environmental and Social Governance. The project aimed to identify a starting point, with recommendations for policy development. The internship involved the following:

• researching ESG policies in similar businesses to establish benchmarks for good practice

• evaluate the actions currently being taken - what does the business currently do that could be documented?

• recommend next steps in terms of policy and practice

Outcomes: The project provided clear evidence-based recommendations for the business to implement new policy and processes

Projects for the Civil service often involve literature reviews or international comparisons to inform real policy development. This particular project gave a small group of questions a research question based on the following policy: 

In 2016 it was announced that the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) would introduce a digital check of pupils’ ability to recall their times tables, to support all children to master this key mathematical foundation. 

The project asked students to consider attitudes towards the Multiplication Tables Check and digital assessment more broadly. Exploration and evaluation included: reporting in the press, social media, academic literature, reports from think-tanks or educational organisations, information from Ofsted reports, outputs from government select committees or other sources thought to be relevant. Milestones for the project were identified: 

Paper specification – aims and scope

Source scoping document – collating possible sources and prioritising them

Outline – headings and bullets

Draft report

Final report

Outcomes: The key final output was a report of their findings, fully referenced and summarised in a format required for ease of internal use in the Civil Service.

A small group of students completed this project, based on this research question: How might the problems that drive economic inactivity and the possible solutions differ between rural and urban geographies?

Using a variety of sources and data, students were asked to summarise existing evidence and generate some policy recommendations to feed into current policy development. The project required students to

1. Understand patterns of economic inactivity and possible reasons for disparity, using existing public data sources for analysis

2. Summarise a range of approaches to meet the needs of unemployed people in different locations - drawing on UK previous policy but also with the option to take evidence from other countries

Outcomes: a report with recommendations for UK policy, including visual resources which could be used to present the case to policymakers and other stakeholders