Social JA

Volunteering can be scary for many: the unknown of the experience. However, our app shows you exactly what to expect

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Inspiration

Hearing the need for increase in volunteerism, our immediate response was information. If potential volunteers were informed about just what the experience was like, we believe they would be more likely to get involved. Having a network specialized in sharing pictures of volunteering, allows those who might be hesitant to see exactly what to expect and what they're missing out on.

What it does

Functions as a social network for demonstrating the experience of volunteering. Bringing a reality to those who have little experience but want more. The badge system and work log format should even promote current volunteers to continue volunteering for increased incentives: verified proof of constant dedication to a great cause.

How we built it

We used Django framework, with Bootstrap and JQuery libraries. Django is a Python driven framework, with years of support and proven development releases.

Challenges we ran into

We had great difficulty dealing with APIs that required real domains and server backend to use. We really wanted specific, important features, but unfortunately we ran into technical difficulties that were beyond our control. Given slightly more resources and a bit more time, we have great aspirations that would help this application grow.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Our highest achievement had to be working as a team of two to accomplish tough challenges, meeting every challenge that was posed that was technically feasible. Certainly it was difficult, we didn't feel we could embrace the luxuries of break time. This was giving up valuable time to make our goal a reality. It was fortunate that we didn't; the time we dedicated continuously went towards making a rough goal possible.

What we learned

We developed significantly greater experience with developing web applications, specifically in client-side design areas, including a responsive web design. Having little experience in front-end develop (and really in back-end also to be fair), we had to adapt and learn new skills on a tight deadline to meet our client's expectations.

What's next for Social JA

Our primary concern would be to implement our forum community. Engaging the volunteers or potential volunteers in conversation about past experiences or clarifying any uncertainties is a major goal for our project. It was really a critical blow to have to sacrifice such a critical feature (especially after meeting and discussing it with the director), but if we ever got the chance to continue our project, that would be our primary goal.

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