ImpactCorps
Kickstarting impact careers with paid side hustles
Introduction
ImpactCorps is a nonprofit, term-time service programme that funds university students to work part-time with local social-sector organisations, strengthening the sector’s capacity while jumpstarting a more equitable pipeline of young talent. By providing wages for extra-curricular project work, ImpactCorps removes the financial barrier that prevents under-resourced students from gaining early mission-driven experience.
Problem
The illusion of choice between making an impact and income has excluded many young talent from joining the social sector. This is bad as:
1. Students are sad since they have to abandon their ambition to make the world a better place and 'sell out'
2. Social sectors have fewer young talent to tackle pressing social challenges and benefit from innovation
3. We are all suffering as a society since many social challenges remain unaddressed
Opportunity
ImpactCorps provides paid, term-time project placements for university students to work with local social-sector organisations. By funding wages, curating high-value projects, and open-sourcing the outputs, ImpactCorps removes the financial barrier to early mission-driven experience, expands the pool of students who can participate, and delivers immediate operational support to nonprofits. This early, compensated involvement builds the mission, social, and experiential capital that increases students’ likelihood of entering or returning to the social sector, helping rebuild the young-talent pipeline.