New Pro Bono Project: More Kids, More Running: using OR and data science to help Kids Run Free to grow

Kids Run Free Project

More Kids, More Running: using OR and data science to help Kids Run Free to grow

Project:

Use insights from data analytics, and decision support, to help Kids Run Free make key business decisions and explore potential opportunities and challenges

Project description:

Kids Run Free has been growing steadily, with children getting involved in running either through schools or through ‘Park Kids’ open events akin to ‘parkrun’ (indeed, many children and parents go on to participate in ‘parkrun’). It has a fair amount of data on children’s running, from its app for Park Kids, and a large amount of data from schools for school-based activity (Marathon Kids). It also has some data from more in-depth sample surveys.

This project has two parts:

• to analyse the data in more depth, building on Kids Run Free’s own analysis, to explore for possible insights: for example, into trends, individual progression, or demographic factors
• to provide data analysis and decision support facilitation to help Kids Run Free with strategic decisions, such as considering whether to change the business model to become less reliant on major donors.

The volunteer is asked to start by working with the CEO to decide what are the key decisions and questions to be addressed, and shaping the project accordingly. This may mean focusing only on one or other of the two parts.

This project would suit people with skills in the cross-over area between data science and OR, with the ability to do a ‘data hack’ to explore possible insights from the data, and the ability to support decision-making using concepts such as MCDA or strategic choice together with facilitation skills. Whilst it could be undertaken by a single volunteer, it would be ideal for a team.

Time commitment:  Initially 4-5 days (spread out as needed). 

During the first consultation with the Kids Run Free CEO, the volunteer(s) should agree how their time will best be used. It is likely that there are opportunities to do more than 5-days’-worth of analysis or decision support, but the work is easily ‘chunk-able’, and any analysis/decision support beyond the amount of volunteer time available should be specified as a follow-on project as part of the final deliverables.

Location: The volunteer(s) will need to be physically present for the initial consultation and for any facilitation. Data is available off site and meetings can be done by video calls if needed. Of course face to face is always a bit more effective when discussing learnings.

If you feel you are able to offer your assistance please complete the application form and return along with your CV to amy.hughes@theorsociety.com by 15^th October.

The OR Society fully supports equal opportunities. As such, we welcome applications from the partially sighted or blind, or those with disabilities.

Information about the organisation: 

Kids Run Free’s mission is to create free, fun and sustainable outdoor running opportunities for toddlers to teens, igniting their passion for sport and physical activity and encouraging them to become healthier, happier, and more confident. Since launching in 2010, Kids Run Free has seen an amazing 180 thousand children nationwide participating in their programmes. Most recently, in March 2018, Kids Run Free expanded to the Netherlands with a pilot of their schools’ programme.

For further information about Kids Run Free please visit https://www.kidsrunfree.co.uk/ or email Martine Verweij (martine@kidsrunfree.co.uk)

For further information about the Pro Bono OR scheme, please visit: www.theorsociety.com/Probono  or email ProBonoOR@theorsociety.com