Vision
To unleash the power of data, curiosity, AI and human connection to create an exponentially happier, fairer and more prosperous North East (then beyond)
To unleash the power of data, curiosity, AI and human connection to create an exponentially happier, fairer and more prosperous North East (then beyond)
Taking collective action to reimagine and rewire the human, technical and funding infrastructure in the North East to create the long term, systemic changes needed to tackle our deeply entrenched and wicked social problems.
Our public services are in crisis and many voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations (VCSE) are in freefall. They face the triple whammy of increasing need and costs, yet decreasing income.
Through no bad intentions many funding practices are actually unhelpful, creating unnecessary waste and competition. Whilst the sector wide challenge of understanding how impact is created, has been distorted by the race to ‘prove’ what works.
As a result true collaboration and collective learning is rare and precious resources are reluctantly spent on box ticking with biased data.
An obvious untapped solution is to increase organisational effectiveness and boost collaboration by making better use of data.
But many VCSE leaders are daunted by this challenge. They struggle to access the data skills and tools needed to progress. Most data tools aren’t fit for purpose and data skills are in short supply and high demand. Both are too expensive.
A massive untapped pool of resources for delivering social impact is via Social Value, ESG and CSR initiatives. These ecosystems are broken, wasteful and lack transparency.
The procurement act introduced in February 2025 is demanding disruption. However, most VCSE’s aren’t data mature or networked enough to meaningfully shape or capitalise on this new opportunity.
Our no code, data stack SaaS product (open sourced and affordable) - enabling VCSE’s to get all their data connected and in one place to easily explore, visualise and share.
Our skilled data volunteering service - deploying and developing industry data talent whilst transferring vital data skills into the VCSE sector.
Our cross-sector, action oriented community of people united by a passion for using data for good - a place to be curious, connect, share, learn, debate and build in the open.
Together these 3 interconnected solutions will enable VCSE’s and funders to increase their data maturity and their ability to meaningfully collaborate. This will help to improve their understanding of how social impact is created and how to optimise their individual and collective resources to deliver that impact more effectively, consistently and where it’s needed most.
By working together in this way VCSE’s and funders can meet the challenges of delivering more with less. They can build the case for making changes to funding practices. And position themselves to benefit from long term investment via new Social Value / ESG & CSR initiatives.
What more, this will create the perfect conditions for social innovation, collective action and trusted open infrastructure. All acting as catalysts of change to the ways we tackle inequality and injustice and the systems which surround it.
There’s an entire ecosystem of cross-sector, win-win partnerships to be explored, each with a measurable value exchange. How Might We Community members all have something of value to give and something of value to gain, from their engagement.
Action focussed, ground up activities and projects each delivering their own important results, can combine to create change far larger than their constituent parts.
We can even use this brilliant diversity, to explore bigger ‘How Might We’ questions together. Such as:
Do you want to make a difference in the world? Do you love asking questions or exploring problems with other people? Can you see the potential for using data, AI and tech for social good? Do you want to be part of something really quite special?
If the answer is yes, hooray! You're in exactly the right place. Sign up to join our community now.
Hannah Underwood is a self confessed charity data geek. Hannah benefits from oodles of experience using data in purpose-driven and impactful organisations. She spent 16 years as the CEO of North East youth charity The Key, as well as serving as a Trustee and Non-Executive Director for various wonderful organisations including DataKind UK, Livin Housing, Virgin Money Foundation and Newcastle University. She's also earned her stripes as a data strategy consultant and a tech start-up Founder, before dreaming up the vision for How Might We Community.
Hannah is all about building communities, open source, sharing skills, championing the North East and taking real action to help people and communities to unlock their potential. When she's not trying to make the world a better place you might find Hannah chasing her three small (and often grubby) children, around various parts of Northumberland or being utterly terrified on stage as an amateur stand-up comedian.
"Wow, you are going to create something huge here. To quote a relevant line 'we’re gonna need a bigger boat' "
Danny Mitchell
Business Development Manager, The Skills Network
"Fantastically inspiring talk this morning from Hannah Underwood at the National Innovation Centre for Data Data Innovation Showcase event. All those interested in data for charities, those with data skills and those businesses with CSR in mind should reach out to her for her new How Might We Community"
Leanne Miller
Digital Programme Manager at Innovation Supernetwork
“It’s an invaluable resource that charities have- grassroots data. Shed-loads of it. So help them extract the value, which will help them grow and help North East communities too. What’s not to love?”
Charlie Charlton
Community Engagement Manager, Newcastle Helix
This list represents just a few of the brilliant organisations and people who have given us their perspectives, their time, their resources, their feedback and their continued support.
We are at the very beginning of our journey here at How Might We, so your interest, thoughts and ideas are super useful. Please share them with us and play your part in creating something truly wonderful.