🔵 Urgent Call to Action: Sydney Hackathon on Homelessness 🔵

Join Australia's leading technology, engineering and social impact students, social entrepreneurs, startups and the best creative minds to tackle the challenge of homelessness and housing insecurity.

The escalating homelessness crisis in Sydney and across Australia isn’t just a statistic—it’s a profound human tragedy. To put it into perspective:

Over 122,000 people experience homelessness on any given night.
Only 6% of homeless people sleep on the streets—the crisis runs deeper.
Domestic and family violence is a leading cause of homelessness.
Alarmingly, one in seven people experiencing homelessness are over 55 years.
Heartbreakingly, over 17,600 children under 12 are homeless.

Our mission for an intensive, solution-focused 2-day hackathon:
📆 When: August 11-12
📍 Where: Doublestar.co Level 1, 36 Morley Ave, Rosebery NSW 2018

We’re mobilizing a dynamic collective:

Problem solvers, system thinkers, and innovators
Technologists, service designers, and communicators
Individuals ready to step up and flex their skills
Subject matter experts who can help guide the teams
Everyone committed to making a real difference

Hackathons aren’t just for coders anymore. They’re platforms for collaboration, innovation, and action. Everyone has something to contribute, and this is your opportunity to use your talents to combat homelessness.

This crisis won’t wait for slow-moving solutions. We need immediate action. We need you.

New to hackathons? They’re immersive, collaborative events designed to solve complex problems—this time, homelessness and housing insecurity. No matter your skill set or background, you have a place here. Together, we can make a real impact on our community.

There is no need to pre-organise teams, you can always join a team at the event!

Prizes:

1st prize: $1,000

Step up, get involved, as we spend Friday August 11 - Saturday August 12 collaborating to build rapid solutions.

Don't hesitate to contact us at vibewire@doublestar.co if you have any questions!

#hack4housing

Event Runsheet:

DAY ONE: August 11, 2023
10.00am Doors open, our journey begins. Questions get answered, and the hackathon sets off.
10.15am Guest speaker: Ballina Gee (Founder @housingwithapurpose) An expert offers insights on homelessness in Sydney.
10.30am Discuss challenge statements, reverse pitches and team forming.
11:00am Brainstorming and beginning work on your solution with your team.
12.00pm Workshop 1: Lean Canvas - Learn to distil your ideas into a lean canvas, making them more tangible.
1.00pm Lunch Break - Take a moment to relax and refuel (BYO and/or food options close by).
2.00pm Workshop 2: Pitch Crafting - Learn how to shape your ideas into a compelling pitch.
3.00pm Continued Development - Teams reform to keep crafting solutions. Need a mentor? Just ask.
4:30pm Progress Check-In - Quick 60-second updates from each team leader.
5.00pm Exit venue.Opt in Evening: Social Gathering - Join us at Redfern Surf Club. Relax, reflect, and meet like-minded individuals.

DAY TWO: August 12, 2023
10.00am Day Two Begins - We start the day with team announcements and a quick review.
10.15am Pitch Practice - Teams refine their pitches, preparing to showcase their solutions.
11.15am Final Check-In - Last check-in before the pitches, order announced.
12.00pm Pitch Time - Show us what you’ve got. Each team pitches their solutions, followed by a Q&A.
1.15pm Judges’ Discussion - Judges deliberate, choosing the most impactful solutions.
1.30pm Announcement of Finalists - We wrap up the hackathon, announcing the finalists and celebrating our collective effort.
2.00pm End of Day - Time to say goodbye, but the commitment to addressing homelessness and the housing crisis continues.