A Kingston University student has launched a new digital platform designed to bridge the gap between the university and the local community, promising to solve the 'stranger danger' crisis in the gig economy.

​The platform, called UniTask, aims to tackle two major local issues simultaneously: the student cost-of-living crisis and the difficulty local residents face in finding trustworthy help for ad-hoc tasks like gardening, tech support, and moving.

​Unlike national platforms such as TaskRabbit or Nextdoor, where anyone can sign up, UniTask is strictly "gated." It uses Kingston University's official email infrastructure to verify the identity of every worker.

​The creator, a current student at the Penrhyn Road campus, says the idea came from speaking to elderly neighbours in Surbiton who needed help with heavy lifting but were too afraid to hire strangers from the internet.

​The founder told Nub News: "There is a huge pool of bright, strong, and capable students in Kingston who are desperate for flexible work that fits around their lectures.

​"On the other side, you have local families and elderly residents who need a hand but don't want to pay a tradesman's call-out fee to change a lightbulb or set up an iPad. The missing link was trust. By ensuring every worker is a verified student, we remove that fear."

​How it works

Residents pay a small subscription to access the network, while students keep 100% of their earnings—a move designed to support student financial well-being.

​The platform covers a range of services relevant to the local community, including:

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• ​Tech Support: Helping seniors with smartphones and Wi-Fi.
• ​Heavy Lifting: Moving boxes or furniture.
• ​Gardening: Basic clearance and maintenance.
• ​Tutoring: Homework help for local school children.

​The project has been entered into Kingston University's annual Bright Ideas Competition, which celebrates student entrepreneurship and innovation.

​UniTask is currently rolling out exclusively to the KT postcode area before a planned expansion to other university towns.

​Residents and students can find out more at unitask.uk.