I want to build a database for a local charity for my personal statement

I want to build a database for a local charity for my personal statement as I am applying for computer science and building a database alongside my portfolio of web applications would be ideal to showcase in my personal statement.

How should I go about building the database? Bearing in mind that it does need to be somewhat professional. I have about 2 weeks to make a start and then finish it by December.

Reply 1

999tigger

19

Original post by e49877

I want to build a database for a local charity for my personal statement as I am applying for computer science and building a database alongside my portfolio of web applications would be ideal to showcase in my personal statement.

How should I go about building the database? Bearing in mind that it does need to be somewhat professional. I have about 2 weeks to make a start and then finish it by December.

You should ask your local charity what it wants then come up with an idea of what information you will need and how to collect/ organise it to give the answers that the local charity will find useful.

Its then just a case of having a clear idea of what the charity wants (talk to them) and what is possible and designing a database to deliver it. Look at the work your charity does and see how a database might help them.

Maybe use something like MS Access. and design it so it is exactly what they want. i.e its useful.

Reply 2

username3079870

19

Original post by e49877

I want to build a database for a local charity for my personal statement as I am applying for computer science and building a database alongside my portfolio of web applications would be ideal to showcase in my personal statement.

How should I go about building the database? Bearing in mind that it does need to be somewhat professional. I have about 2 weeks to make a start and then finish it by December.

Sorry but the first second and third thing you should be thinking about is GDPR. The last thing you want is to get a huge fine for the charity as they have broken the law on data protection.

Have you thought about the type of data you are collecting? Is it proportional? How secure is the data? Will it be connected to other applications or services like a SDN or a Cloud based solution or a Web based front end? What about the right to erasure? If you haven't thought about any of that you should. Very carefully.

I doubt a charity will give you a reference if your database results in criminal charges being levelled against them. This may not be the straightforward project you hope for. Additionally, failing to consider any for the above may actually harm your uni application rather than help it.

Also MS Access is pretty poor vs modern day Sql databases and unless the charity avails of MS discounts for non profit organisations it can be pricey too.

Reply 3

IWMTom

20

Original post by e49877

I want to build a database for a local charity for my personal statement as I am applying for computer science and building a database alongside my portfolio of web applications would be ideal to showcase in my personal statement.

How should I go about building the database? Bearing in mind that it does need to be somewhat professional. I have about 2 weeks to make a start and then finish it by December.

If you need to ask us how to do it, you probably shouldn't be doing it in the first place.

Reply 4

Duncan2012

19

Second the above post about personal info and privacy. GDPR is just a few months away and most (if not all) organisations are investing large amounts of time and effort trying to make sure they're going to be compliant. Having a teenager turn up wanting to get hold of a list of names, addresses, bank account details etc is just not going to be productive. What sort of database were you thinking about?

While you're obviously well-meaning, are there other databases which you could build with publicly available data? Sports results, company financial information, news reports, weather data etc. I'm sure there's something you could do without having to navigate your way through the personal information minefield - good luck!

Reply 5

999tigger

19

Original post by jestersnow

Sorry but the first second and third thing you should be thinking about is GDPR. The last thing you want is to get a huge fine for the charity as they have broken the law on data protection.

Have you thought about the type of data you are collecting? Is it proportional? How secure is the data? Will it be connected to other applications or services like a SDN or a Cloud based solution or a Web based front end? What about the right to erasure? If you haven't thought about any of that you should. Very carefully.

I doubt a charity will give you a reference if your database results in criminal charges being levelled against them. This may not be the straightforward project you hope for. Additionally, failing to consider any for the above may actually harm your uni application rather than help it.

Also MS Access is pretty poor vs modern day Sql databases and unless the charity avails of MS discounts for non profit organisations it can be pricey too.

Hard to say without knowing what data is going to be stored and how it will be used. I would expect it to be Charity led and they will already know their obligations ider the DPA. Its old enough.

Reply 6

username1207499

18

Original post by e49877

I want to build a database for a local charity for my personal statement as I am applying for computer science and building a database alongside my portfolio of web applications would be ideal to showcase in my personal statement.

How should I go about building the database? Bearing in mind that it does need to be somewhat professional. I have about 2 weeks to make a start and then finish it by December.

There’s no point setting up a database unless you’re actually going to use it for something. Additionallly, just setting up a database is very easy and not exactly something you would want to brag about in a personal statement. It’s like bragging about how you can use Microsoft word.

Reply 7

BKS

19

As someone who has worked for charities for 9 years, I wouldn't want someone who hasn't been to uni coming in and trying to make me a database in two weeks when they need to ask on TSR how to do it. I don't have time to explain what I want to someone who I'm not confident will get it working. I need someone who can fix bugs after testing, not bugger off because they've wrote their statement now. Same with ongoing updates and maintenance.

Might sound harsh but it's the truth. We don't just need whatever help someone wants to throw at us, we are just as much professional organisations as other sectors, it's just we do things to help some cause and don't make a profit. Having a dodgy database would just make my work less efficient, I've no interest in that.

My friend is a manager at a charity and has some uni students coming in to do a database for her. There's a few of them, they have done some uni and they will have supervision. I'm not even convinced that's a good idea.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 8

username3079870

19

Original post by D3LLI5

There’s no point setting up a database unless you’re actually going to use it for something. Additionallly, just setting up a database is very easy and not exactly something you would want to brag about in a personal statement. It’s like bragging about h ow you can use Microsoft word.

Large multinational companies with millions to throw at Gdpr are struggling to get uo to code, and having worked on a project to advise small non profits about Gdpr, their awarness generally varies from little to non-existant. I would be surprised if a "local charity" had its house in order in terms of information security/assurance.

Reply 9

Blue_Cow

22

Original post by e49877

I want to build a database for a local charity for my personal statement as I am applying for computer science and building a database alongside my portfolio of web applications would be ideal to showcase in my personal statement.

How should I go about building the database? Bearing in mind that it does need to be somewhat professional. I have about 2 weeks to make a start and then finish it by December.

If you're asking how to do it - don't do it.

You don't need to build a database/have a portfolio to get onto a CS degree. Hell, my GH page is completely empty and the only thing I did was set up a Code Club at my local library and still got all 5 offers and currently at Edinburgh.