2018 Social Impact Hackathon

180 Degrees Consulting is proud to host our first-ever social impact hackathon.
Solve complex organisational problems for our client, Out For Australia,
meet talented students like yourself and make tangible social impact on October 20-21.

Introduction

Be part of a weekend of ideas, innovation and impact by participating in 180 Degrees Consulting’s inaugural Social Impact Hackathon.

This Social Impact Hackathon will be held in conjunction with Out For Australia, which is a volunteer-run non-for-profit that seeks to support and mentor aspiring LGBTIQ+ students and professionals navigate their way through the early stages of their career.

Despite marriage equality and increasing push for Safe Schools, research shows that only 32% of LGBTIQ+ people are out to everyone with whom they work, and this is even lower for young LGBTIQ+ people. Over the course of a weekend, you will help Out For Australia solve a strategic issue and be part of shaping a safer and more diverse and inclusive workplace in teams of 4-5.

The event will bring together talented and innovative students, industry mentors and representatives from Out for Australia to co-design a strategy to empower inclusion and sense of community among LGBTIQ+ professionals and students. We invite anyone with bright ideas, appetite for problem-solving and a genuine desire to make a social difference to register today!

Launch: Monday October 15

We will kick off the Hackathon with a 2 hour information session, where we will run through the agendas of both days in depth and discuss the best ways to prepare for the Hackathon. We will also be inviting a sponsor to come give a workshop to give you some tips as to how to approach the problem-solving aspect of the Hackathon. This is also a great opportunity to meet other hackers and our community partners.

We will be releasing the case (+ helpful resources!) on October 17 when registrations close. The information session is vital so when the case is released, you'll be well equipped to work with your teammates to come up with creative strategies to help Out For Australia with their problem brief!

Hack: Saturday and Sunday October 20 - 21

Join us at Nous Group Offices to ideate and even prototype your solution. There will be a variety of workshops and mentors to guide you as you develop your solution and strategy for the final judging round on 21 October 2018.

On the Day

In the lead up to the Hackathon, we will be releasing the briefing pack to participants on October 17. Included in this briefing pack:

  • The problem brief (which will also outline key deliverables)
  • Resources to help get you started, including background data, potential areas to research, problem solving frameworks
  • Marking criteria you will be judged against
  • Logistical information, including run sheets, what to bring

The Social Impact Hackathon will be hosted at the Nous Group offices at the following address:

L34/60 Margaret Street
Sydney NSW 2000

Throughout the Hackathon, you will be able to come in and out of the offices when necessary. Each team will have their own area in Nous’ coworking space. Mentors will communicate with their allocated teams and will be able to provide guidance electronically and in person. There will be a catered lunch.

At the end of the second day, each team will have the opportunity to present their strategy to a panel of judges. Prizes will be awarded to the winning teams. A more detailed itinerary of the Hackathon is as follows:

Day One

Saturday October 20

Day Two

Sunday October 21

10:00 - 10:30 / Kickoff

The Hackathon begins with an introduction and welcome from 180DC and OFA.

10:00 - 12:30 / Working Session 1

Teams are given the morning to develop their pitch presentations for judging.

10:30 - 11:15 / Workshop (Optional)

One of our sponsors will be running a workshop that will assist our hackers.

12:30 - 13:15 / Lunch + Breakout Session

Lunch to be supplied by Ralph's Cafe.

10:30 - 12:30 / Working Session 1

Teams kick the day off with their first working session, which will involve developing their ideas.

13:15 - 14:00 / Pitch Preparation

Teams are given time to work on and develop their 5 minute pitches which will be presented to our judging panel.

12:30 - 13:15 / Lunch + Breakout Session

Lunch to be supplied by Ralph's Cafe.

14:00 - 15:00 / Pitch Time

Teams present their 5 minute strategies and rationales to judges and will be judged against a standardised marking criteria.

13:15 - 15:30 / Working Session 2

Teams will have their strategies validated through user testing, where Out For Australia's target audience will come in and give teams feedback on whether or not their ideas will work.

15:00 - 15:15 / Deliberation

Of the pitches, judges will pick the top 3 teams they would like to see present in detail.

15:30 - 17:00 / Working Session 3

Teams can use this time to implement the feedback they receive from users, as well as seek the help of their mentors and the representatives from Out For Australia.

15:15 - 16:00 / Detailed Presentations

Selected teams will be given the opportunity to present their strategy in more detail (10 min) as well as answer questions from the judges (5 min).

17:00 - 18:00 / Wrap Up

Day One closes with remarks from 180 DC and OFA. There is also an opportunity for Q&A at the end.

16:00 - 17:00 / Wrap Up

Day Two closes with the announcement of the 2018 Hackathon winners and awarding of prizes.

Register

You can register as a team or individual by clicking one of the links below:

Registrations will close Wednesday October 17 at 4:00pm. There will be a maximum of ten teams with 4 participants each. We will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis so it is within your best interests to apply as soon as possible. Teams will be confirmed by Wednesday October 17 11:59pm.

For individuals without a team, we will try our best to place you in a team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can attend?
All students from the University of Sydney are invited to attend. All current 180 Degrees Consulting consultants from the University of New South Wales and Macquarie University can also attend.

Since this is our first time running the Hackathon, we want to pilot it successfully before rolling registrations out to universities Sydney-wide in future Hackathons.

Do I need to know how to code?
Nope! The Hackathon is focused on strategy rather than product. If you have technical skills and would like to use them to create a prototype, then feel free! However, not coding a solution will not disadvantage you.

What if I don’t have a team?
You can still sign up here and we will do our best to put you into a team. Your application will not be disadvantaged if you are applying as an individual!

Will there be food?
Lunch will be provided for both days, but feel free to bring your own snacks so that you refuel throughout the event!

What if I don't have experience in social impact work?
You don't have to be already saving the world to start making a difference! We will have mentors and Out For Australia representatives there on the day to guide you through whatever questions you may have.

I know 180 Degrees Consulting is mainly a consultancy service. What if I haven't consulted before in the past?
Prior consulting knowledge is not necessary. We strongly encourage anyone interested to attend our briefing event on Monday October 15 to find out more about the Hackathon and to attend some sponsor-led workshops that should equip you with some tools that will help you through October 20-21. We will also be providing resources before and on the day of the Hacakthon to make sure students of all skillsets and experience levels are catered for. Our mentors will also guide you through any methodologies you may find confusing. You will not be disadvantaged if you don't have prior consulting experience!.

I still have another question, who can I talk to?
Still not sure what to expect? Wondering whether you have the right knowledge or skills? Have all your questions answered at our information session before the event on 15 October. Register your interest in the Hackathon and we will give you more details closer to the date.

We will run through the event and provide you with some tips and training to prepare you for the Hackathon, and you will have the opportunity to hear from people who have participated in other Hackathons in the past.

Out For Australia

Out for Australia is a not-for-profit that supports and mentors aspiring LGBTIQ+ professionals as they navigate their way through the early stages of their career. It provides visible role models, mentors, content and targeted support to aspiring LGBTIQ+ professionals, striving to create an Australia where every LGBTIQ+ student and aspiring professional is confident to be their authentic self in workplaces which celebrate diversity.

On the day, you will work closely with Emily Scott, the CEO of Out for Australia, and Nathaniel Kammer, the NSW Outreach Coordinator. to address the problem faced by her organisation.

Sponsors

Without the support of our sponsors, this Hackathon would not exist. We would like to thank the following organisations for their support:

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

180 Degrees Consulting

180 Degrees Consulting is the world’s largest student based consultancy, operating from 100 branches across 35 countries. Its mission is to connect the untapped capabilities of university students with unmet needs of socially conscious organisations. Since being established in 2007, 180 Degrees Consulting has provided over $100M worth of consulting services to over 2000 socially-conscious organizations worldwide.

This Hackathon has been organised by 180 Degrees Consulting at the University of Sydney. We are the founding 180 Degrees Consulting branch and one the largest branches in the world. We consult for 14 clients each semester, giving 84 students the opportunity to be leaders within their own community and create a tangible social impact.

Keep in Touch

If you have any queries, feel free to email us at sydney@180dc.org. Alternatively, you can contact us through any of our social media channels below: