IXDA Brisbane's First Design Hackathon: A Night of Innovation and Compassion

In an evening brimming with creativity and empathy, IXDA Brisbane held its inaugural design hackathon in collaboration with PeakCare Queensland and YFS Ltd , setting a new standard for human-centered design meetups. The event unfolded in the stunning Skedulo offices, our gracious host for the past two and a half years, with the added support of new sponsor, Talent , who ensured everyone was well-fed and ready to tackle the night's challenge.

The hackathon commenced with a heartfelt acknowledgment of country led by Tom Allsop , CEO of Peakcare, setting the tone for an evening focused on respect, learning, and innovation. Following an overview of the evening's format, Tom and Jennifer Inoue , GM at Peakcare, provided insights into the lives of children in care, highlighting the stark reality that 80% of these young individuals face homelessness upon leaving care. With indigenous children making up over 40% of those in care in QLD, despite only representing 7% of the population, the urgency for actionable solutions was palpable.

Program Manager, Hayley Holst and Daniel Brookes, Executive Management - Youth Services from YFS introduced the hackathon's challenge: to devise ways to support young people in developing financial literacy, leveraging a newfound $16k per year funding opportunity available to them for expenses post-care. The statistics were sobering, with most young people lacking financial literacy and therefore not accessing the support they're entitled to.

Morgen Carson framed the design challenge beautifully;

How might we….

better support young people in care to develop financial literacy

so that…

they can leverage their financial support to meet their basic needs and work towards higher order goals.

As teams formed and ideas flowed, participants drew on the briefing material to create backstrories and personas to craft their solutions. Culminating in a series of presentations that were as courageous as they were enlightening. From gamified learning tools like decks of cards that teach financial prioritisation, to innovative apps and VR experiences designed to simulate real-world financial decisions, the presentations were polished and delivered with conviction and pride.

The judges were faced with the challenging task of selecting a winner but ultimately decided on two: 'Ask Aunty' and 'Ask a Mate.' Both AI-driven chatbots impressed with their ability to offer proactive and reactive financial guidance, promising to serve as both advisor and mentor to young individuals navigating their financial futures.

This event was more than just a competition; it was a demonstration of the power of community and the impact of human-centered design in addressing real-world problems. The promise of seeing these ideas developed further, with an update from Peakcare and YFS in six months, has everyone buzzing with anticipation.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone involved in making this event a resounding success. The collaboration, creativity, and compassion on display were truly remarkable. As IXDA Brisbane gears up for another mini hackathon later this year, we are reminded of the power of our collective efforts to make a difference.

If you know a non-profit that could benefit from our community's insight, please reach out at [email protected] . Let's continue to innovate, inspire, and impact lives together.