Ford College Community Challenge

SPAIN

Ford Fund invites student teams to develop ideas for innovative projects that address an unmet social need or problem in the local community—ranging from safety to workforce development to access to mobility, and more. Each year, up to three student teams are selected to receive a €5,000 grant to implement their project. Through this program, students use entrepreneurial action to make people’s lives better and help their community become a more sustainable place to work and live.


2020 Ford College Community Challenge Winning Projects

Blue and gold crown logo for the Universidad politecnica Madrid

Universidad Politecnica de Madrid: Madrid

The goal of project TEACH ME is to develop a “serious” game that can be used to reinforce the classic treatment of autism spectrum disorder. This game can be used on tablets, both with Android and IOS operating systems and is focused on children between the ages of six and 10 years with intellectual disabilities. The objective of the game will be to help with the acquisition of skills and development of abilities to independently perform routine daily living activities. These self-care activities are a basic need in the life of any person and learning to complete them independently can often be a challenge for many children with autism. Such objectives are rarely addressed in games that are more often focused on the acquisition of curricular content. The project does not intend to replace treatments that have been used up to now but to support the work of the experts who work in the different centers and provide both an entertainment tool and a learning tool for parents. The whole project revolves around having a great configuration and customization of the game's contents, depending on the needs of the user who will make use of it. The multidisciplinary nature of this project means that in addition to the engineering team, a collaboration of a team of professionals within the social health area is needed. For this project a collaboration with Dr. in Occupational Therapy Ms. Nuria Máximo Bocanegra who is a professor and researcher at the Rey Juan Carlos University of Madrid.

Green and blue word logo for Universidad Autonoma de Madrid

Universidad Autonoma de Madrid: Madrid

The MiRiquezApp project is an app created to increase empathy and awareness of child and adolescent cancer. The app incorporates video and audio testimonials, scientific research information and links to a network of psychological support contacts. The support contacts are made up of two groups, the first being a network of volunteers for those who want to talk to someone and the second for patients and their families who need professional help. The network of psychologists would still be volunteers and offer a free first session either in person or online. The application will be released to both Android and IOS users at the price of 1 euro with all proceeds going to the “Niños con Cáncer” national association, as a donation.

Black and white shield logo for the Universidad politecnica de valencia

Universitat Politecnica de Valencia: Valencia

Project Build with your Knowledge is designed to develop a student volunteer network and training program that helps improve the quality of life of those at risk of social exclusion. The team aims to encourage those who have experienced social exclusion to join the volunteer network. Volunteers are encouraged to attend workshops at the university’s medical school in addition to two professional training programs. The two professional programs focus on basic technology, learning how to use tech tools especially for groups of immigrants, illiterates, or elderly, and diet and nutrition.