Programs
Summary
This page describes our three main programs:
Volunteer Software Engineer
Hackathons
Senior Capstone Projects
Summer Volunteer Internships
We'll talk more below about our goals for each and provide you with more detail in how we think about them.
Volunteer Software Engineer (vSWE), Product Manager (vPM), Program Manager (vPgM), User Experience Designer (vUED)
vSWE: Apply on LinkedIn (we haven't posted anything for vPM, vPgM or vUED yet, but what follows below applies to everyone)
This volunteer software engineering program allows us to provide an "always-on" opportunity for those who have the passion.
Everyone who runs Opportunity Hack has a full-time job (with PayPal, Meta, Spotify, Amazon, or Google). We dedicate our extra time to helping others, either by helping nonprofits to better write software requirements for problems they have, or from mentoring and guiding others.
Goals
Allow anyone, regardless of background or current employment to learn about software engineering, program management, product management, and UX. You can be a volunteer as a high school or college student, a software engineer bootcamper, or someone looking to sharpen their skills and give back to the world.
Create a portfolio via demo videos, and obtain a certificate of achievement that will allow for marketing to industry when the time is right.
We provide open-ended problems to emulate the experience of a real-life job in industry.
Expectations
Never be afraid to send a note asking questions or comments. Since we have full-time jobs, we favor asynchronous communication on Slack as much as possible. Join Slack over at ohack.dev.
If you're stuck and async isn't helping, join us for Office Half-Hours every other Friday. Sign up for a slot at oh.ohack.dev.
You pick what you work on! Our main ask is that you consider a project that improves ohack.dev by joining one of our Opportunity Hack Inc. projects. If none of that looks interesting, we have added a few projects that we'd like to invest more time to complete for other nonprofits here.
Work with us as long, or as little as you want.
Because we're a nonprofit, we cannot sponsor visas (see more here) as you are technically not an employee, but a volunteer (still pretty cool though!). As part of our rewards system, that we call hearts, we'd love to write a letter that illustrates the work you've completed along with any other important milestones or contributions you've helped with. We'll also consider writing you a LinkedIn recommendation and providing prospective employers our support of you as a reference.
Hackathons (once per year)
Goals
Educate software engineering concepts from industry
Create durable bond between volunteers and nonprofits
Provide nonprofits with innovative solutions to their challenges
Select winning ideas that have a potential to create the most impact
Incentivize completion of projects within 3 months of the hackathon
Process
Identify nonprofits via email, social media, collect projects via Google Form application
Select 5-10 nonprofits based on their need and ability for software solutions to be created
Pre-2019: Weekend hackathon that starts at 8am Saturday and completes by 6pm Sunday, usually in October
2020-2021: Week-long hackathon
2022 and beyond: still figuring the right blend out
Senior Capstone Projects
Schools we've partnered with
ASU Tempe (4)
ASU Polytechnic (1)
Grand Canyon University (GCU) (1)
University of Arizona (1)
For more information see this article from 2019: Sponsor a capstone. Disrupt ancient talent acquisition methods, mentor, give back, increase innovation.
Goals
Expose Computer Science, Computer Science Engineering, Computer Engineering students to nonprofit work before they obtain their undergraduate degree
Instill a concept of innovation for social good
Educate on software engineering industry best practices that are not taught in school
Connect top talent students with recruiters to ensure they have a job post-graduation
Provide a connection between engineers in industry with students graduating college - allow for industry engineers to coach students both technically and non-technically for their own career growth
Summer Volunteer Internships
Goals
Allow anyone who was unable to find a summer internship the ability to still apply themselves to learn about software engineering principles
Create a portfolio via demo videos, and certificate of achievement that will allow for marketing to industry upon graduation
Provide open-ended problems to emulate the experience of a software engineering internship within industry
Example Volunteer Role Confirmation Letter
Used to support Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and people on a visa
[Volunteer’s Name]
[Volunteer’s Address]
[City, State, ZIP Code]
Dear [Volunteer’s Name],
Subject: Volunteer Role Confirmation and Responsibilities at Opportunity Hack
Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Opportunity Hack. We are excited about your eagerness to contribute to our mission of assisting nonprofits and mentoring individuals in software engineering and related fields. This letter outlines your volunteer role and associated responsibilities, which you requested to ensure compliance with US immigration regulations.
Volunteer Role: Volunteer Software Engineer
Responsibilities:
Project Selection and Contribution: You will have the autonomy to select projects from our pool of available initiatives, primarily focusing on improving our platform (ohack.dev) or assisting other nonprofits with their software requirements.
Communication: We utilize asynchronous communication via Slack (join at slack.ohack.dev). You are encouraged to ask questions or provide comments as needed. In cases where asynchronous communication is insufficient, we offer bi-weekly Office Half-Hours for real-time support (just ask!).
Mentorship and Guidance: Engage in mentoring sessions and adhoc workshops aimed at enhancing your skills in software engineering, program management, product management, and user experience design.
Documentation and Reporting: Maintain accurate records of your contributions and progress. You will have the opportunity to create demo videos and receive a certificate of achievement as part of our recognition system and to build your knowledge, portfolio, and collaboration skills.
Duration and Commitment: You can choose the duration and level of commitment that suits your schedule. There is no minimum or maximum time requirement, allowing you to volunteer as much or as little as you prefer.
Legal Considerations:
As a volunteer, you are not an employee of Opportunity Hack Inc, a 501c3 registered with the IRS and the state of Arizona. This position does not offer financial compensation, benefits, or visa sponsorship. Your contributions are on a voluntary basis.
This volunteer role is designed to comply with US immigration regulations. You will not be entering into an employment relationship with Opportunity Hack Inc. Therefore, this volunteer position does not interfere with your immigration status or employment authorization.
Recognition and Support:
Upon successful completion of your volunteer activities, according to our heart and reward guidelines, we will provide a letter of recommendation highlighting your contributions and any significant milestones you have achieved.
Additionally, we may offer LinkedIn endorsements and act as a professional reference for future employment opportunities, again according to these heart guidelines.
We look forward to your valuable contributions and are here to support you throughout your volunteer journey with Opportunity Hack. Please feel free to draft any additional documentation if required, and do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Opportunity Hack Inc.