WHAT THE HACK? Foresight and Innovation through Hackathons
Foreword “What the hack?” has been an interesting conversation kickstarter to tap into the collective intelligence of international organisations using hackathons to address complex challenges. We hope this is the start of a longer journey where we would like to engage with you to set up more events like this, test out new approaches, and transform this conversation into a growing knowledge pool on how to design and run hackathons. “What the hack?” is a spontaneous expression when you are confronted with a complex challenge. This Hack Pack is the ideal recipe to overcome your original “what the hack?”-feeling. Enjoy the Hack Pack. On behalf of the Learning Innovation team at the ITC-ILO, Tom Wambeke Chief of Learning Innovation
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HACK
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RESOURCES
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Understand: What is a Hackathon?
Hackathon /'hak
n/ • noun
A collaborative, creative problem-solving event that brings together thinkers and designers with interdisciplinary backgrounds to address complex and diverse challenges.
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Hackathon Future of Learning Hackathon The International Training Centre of the ILO is the training arm of the International Labour Organization. It runs training, learning, and capacity development services in support of decent work and sustainable development. In April 2019, the ITC-ILO’s Learning Innovation Programme hosted the Future of Learning Hackathon in Turin, Italy and final innovations were presented during the ILO100 Global Tour.
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Watch the Video the ITCILO’s hackathon highlights
We should not put convenience over consciousness - it’s the path to dehumanization.
Gerd Leonhard, Futurist Speaker and Writer
Training
Pre-Hack: Six exercises to prepare for the race.
Race
Hack: Inspire, ideate, implement.
Hack Cycle
Activate
Post Hack: Celebrate, evaluate, maintain momentum.
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PRE-HACK
Train: Six exercises to prepare for the race
Pre-Hack Journey A hackathon is a complex event to organize and execute. Similarly to preparing for a race, training is key for developing endurance, strength, and speed. We have broken down the pre-hack training phase into six steps.
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Pre-Hack Journey 1. Challenge Topic 2. Format 3. Logistics
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4. Participants & Staff 5. Registration 6. Promotion
Get on track for the Pre-Hack
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Pre-Hack Journey 1. Choose a Challenge Topic An overarching topic is necessary to frame the hackathon, however you can also keep the design challenge open and allow the participants to choose their topic of interest. Clearly articulate the objective as a question or problem. Consider the following questions: What is the problem to be solved? What are the hackathon goals to be accomplished?
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Pre-Hack Journey 2. Select the appropriate Format Defining an appropriate format for the hackathon is integral to establishing the flow of the event. Choose how long the event will last Define how many teams there will be Select the room organization and team set-up Decide if the hackathon will be a competition
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Pre-Hack Journey 3. Finalize the Logistics
Date & Time
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Venue
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Materials
Food & Drink
Budget
Pre-Hack Journey 4.Involve Participants & Staff Recruit interdisciplinary skills and diverse backgrounds. A hackathon is first and foremost a collaborative, team-based event meaning that cooperation between participants and organizers is essential.
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Pre-Hack Journey Team Building A varied audience facilitates inclusivity and exchange. Involve experts, researchers, students, start-ups, designers, and curious citizens Collaborative hackathons work most effectively in teams. Sigma Consulting Solutions identified four team roles:
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Maker
Researcher
Writer
Stitcher
Pre-Hack Journey Staffing A well-coordinated team of organizers will host, facilitate, and guide participants. The key roles to fulfill are: Host - Greets and introduces each phase Mentor - Encourages, supports, and offers advice Judge - Evaluates and selects final winning team IT Manager - Facilitates, fixes, and manages all technology Communications Specialist - Records, photographs, and shares media
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Pre-Hack Journey 5. Manage Registration Use Eventbrite or Google Forms to manage and monitor. The sign-up process is the first chance to get to know the participants. Gather pertinent contact and background information Use this information to dictate content and teams Set a registration limit In this hackathon guide, they suggest only 65% of registered participants actually come to the event. It is recommended to cap registration at 150% of your maximum capacity.
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Pre-Hack Journey 6. Promote the event In order to gain momentum and give more visibility to the hackathon, it is important to develop a promotion strategy. Create a marketing campaign Community engagement, outreach events at schools, local press coverage, website development, social media posts, etc. Hire a media team for the event The visual storytelling of the event should continue both during and after the hackathon.
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Hackathon Spotlight
How to make hackathons more inclusive? The majority of technology and coding hackathons are predominantly male-dominated, however in the recent years there has been an increase in allfemale hackathons. These events aim to support and empower women in the industry.
In 2018, Boston University hosted one of the largest all-female and femme nonbinary hackathons known as SheHacks. Check out their video.
Hackathon Spotlight
How to involve participants pre-hack? EduHack is designed for higher education teachers interested in capacity-building in the digital world. The first hackathon in this series was held in LogroĂąo, Spain and involved 45 university professors from all academic disciplines.
Prior to the hackathon, they completed a 20-hour online course to establish the topics of interest.
EduHack’s Goals
How to involve participants pre-hack? Develop methodology for a 3-day intensive course, whereby recently-graduated teachers will learn to create and use eLearning courses, OER, and MOOCs. Organize 3 hackathons for university professors around Europe, in which participants will learn the needed skills and create prototype courses. Set up a European open resource database and network to promote the reproduction of these events, either independently or with the expertise of the consortium.
The question is not what’s wrong and how we can fix it. The real question is what’s possible and who cares.
Marvin Weisbord, Co-director of non-profit Future Search Network
Training
Pre-Hack: Six exercises to prepare for the race.
Race
Hack: Inspire, ideate, implement.
Hack Cycle
Activate
Post Hack: Celebrate, evaluate, maintain momentum.
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HACK
Race: Inspire, ideate, implement
Foolproof Format The Hack Pack offers innovative activities and tools to organize a successful hackathon with the Design Thinking method.
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Foolproof Format Inspire
Ideate
Implement
Introduce the context and solidify the challenge.
Spark creativity and generate ideas.
Make the prototype a reality.
Spark curiosity
Brainstorm
Prepare pitch
Contextualize
Concept solution
Present
Define problem
Prototype
Select winner
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To Inspire is to spark curiosity
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EXPLORING THE FUTURE OF ...
hic p ra g o m de
Inspire The way this works
45’
The scheme to your right is a means to support your thinking about the future and make sure you maintain a broad enough scope when it comes to identifying key drivers of change and their consequences.
eco no mi c QUENCES IN GENERAL CONSE
KEY CHALLENGES
All revolves around the questions:
Which trends and developments might you encounter and drive change in the coming decades? Which consequences might they have for society in general and our topic in particular?
How can we
We start from the outer most (colour-coded) circle and work our way inward.
Exploring the future of...
EQUENCES FOR ... CONS
1) Each of you should first take 5-10mins to write down at least 3 trends/developments per category (one per post-it or your own notepad). Do not think too much about your topic yet, but changes you notice or expect to see around you in society in general. Maintain a broad scope.
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Use the conversation starters for further inspiration. The colours of the cards correspond to the colour of the respective category of developments. 2) Consequently, taking turns, each person brings one (new) development to the table and places it in the corresponding section of the outer (coloured) circle.
4) Last but not least, try to deduce from your scheme a set of 5-10 key challenges for the future. Write them down on the list to the right, completing the phrase “How can we ...?”. Hold your horses! Do not write down any solutions yet. Challenges first!
socio-cultural
4) Now it is time to move closer to our topic. Ask yourselves: what might these consequences imply more specifically for our topic? Think about its different aspects of your topic and those actors/factors/sectors involved in shaping it.
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nst political-i itutional
3) Briefly discuss what the longer term consequences of that development might be for society in general. Write those down in the second circle.
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en v i ron m en t a l
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l ica log no ch te
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Inspire Conversation Starters
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Stage 3 – Definition
Design concept
Instructions 1
Problem Definition Title
3.1
DesignKit
Compile all gathered insight about goals, users, and ideas into one coherent model. Upon completion, one person from each group should pitch the design concept by explaining the problem, solution, and potential impact. Build the backbone of your design concept. Read and discuss each of the questions below with your team.
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Review relevant worksheets and cards. Expand upon ideas to find the best solutions.
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Present the design concept and display relevant worksheets and cards on either side. Concept A ?
Instructions
Stage 3 – Definition
Design concept
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Compile all gathered insight about goals, users, and ideas into one coherent model. Upon completion, one person from each group should pitch the design concept by explaining the problem, solution, and potential impact. 1
Build the backbone of your design concept. Read and discuss each of the questions below with your team.
2
Review relevant worksheets and cards. Expand upon ideas to find the best solutions.
3
Present the design concept and display relevant worksheets and cards on either side. Concept A ?
What is the problem?
Why start now?
What is the solution?
How will it work?
Why will it work?
What is the issue that we want to improve or fix?
What is the project's objective? What are the advantages and drawbacks of starting now versus later?
What are the consequences and impact of the project?
What is the design solution or the combination of features that will help achieve the project's objective and boost its impact?
Why will it work?
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To Ideate is to fuel innovation
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Ideate Brainstorm Brain Adopt a “beginner’s mind” Remain open and curious, assume nothing, and see ambiguity as an opportunity. Shift your mindset Embrace optimism, iteration, creativity, and uncertainty. Foster empathy Keep the very people you’re looking to serve at the heart of the process.
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O, I LIVE UTURE
ture is human
Ideate Hello, I Live the Future
TODAY
IN THE FUTURE
imagine what it might mean for a der in your topic of interest.
describe your stakeholder in terms of ssion/activity, needs, interests, what they feel, what they do today ... Give me, dress them up!
y, project them into your future the future is now and you encounter er in real life. How will/might their anged?
thinks needs
will need
ow different the future is by telling a her raising questions/challenges or tions). Pick a ‘telling situation’ for r’s position, role or experience in What does their typical day look like? e a situation which is emblematic for he future is compared to today? toryboard depicting this scene. Use de the image boxes to provide mation if necessary.
my name is am a e tell you something about Starting Line
will think
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feels
will feel
does
will do
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Ideate On the streets of 2040 ON THE STREETS OF 2040 ...
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ON THE STREETS OF 2040 ...
ON THE STREETS OF 2040 ...
ON THE STREETS OF 2040 ...
It is only real when there is an ad about it
It is only real when there is an ad about it
It is only real when there is an ad about it
It is only real when there is an ad about it
Imagine a typical product, service, policy/government advertisement that you would see on the streets in 2040 and that would show straight away how much things have changed in this future. Think about all the elements a typical ad has: strong imagery, a simple key message, a logo/brand + baseline, where to find more info, stuff-in-small-letters-that-no-one-reads-but-tells-a-lot etc.
Imagine a typical product, service, policy/government advertisement that you would see on the streets in 2040 and that would show straight away how much things have changed in this future. Think about all the elements a typical ad has: strong imagery, a simple key message, a logo/brand + baseline, where to find more info, stuff-in-small-letters-that-no-one-reads-but-tells-a-lot etc.
Imagine a typical product, service, policy/government advertisement that you would see on the streets in 2040 and that would show straight away how much things have changed in this future. Think about all the elements a typical ad has: strong imagery, a simple key message, a logo/brand + baseline, where to find more info, stuff-in-small-letters-that-no-one-reads-but-tells-a-lot etc.
Imagine a typical product, service, policy/government advertisement that you would see on the streets in 2040 and that would show straight away how much things have changed in this future. Think about all the elements a typical ad has: strong imagery, a simple key message, a logo/brand + baseline, where to find more info, stuff-in-small-letters-that-no-one-reads-but-tells-a-lot etc.
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To Implement is to make it real
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Implement The Elevator Pitch 2 Key Elemets 1. What Problem are you trying to solve? 2. How you are going to solve that problem? 4 Key Tests 1. It must be succinct 2. It must be easy to understand 3. It must generate impact 4. It must be irrefutable
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Pitch off Criteria 1. Understanding the problem 2. Adressing the problem? 3. Describing the product? 4. Compelling vision? 3 Elements to a Presentation 1. Presenter 2. Script 3. Slides
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Implement Sample Schedule Planning and structuring the hackathon activities and breaks is the key to staying on track. Time management and flexibility will guarantee that the hackathon goals are met. Check out this example of an overnight hack and of a three-day hack.
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Here is the example schedule from the Future of Learning Hackathon.
Day 1
Day 2
2.00 PM
Welcome
10.00 AM Ideate: Prototyping Workshop
2.30 PM
Inspire: Envisioning a Future World
10.15 AM Ideate: Hacking the Future
3.00 PM
Inspire: User Persona Model
3.30 PM
Inspire: Empathy Map
4.00 PM
Inspire: Define Design Challenge
4.30 PM
12.30 AM Ideate: 1st Round of Presentations 1.00 PM
Lunch
3.30 PM
Implement: “How to Pitch an Idea” Workshop
Ideate: On the Streets of 2040
5.00 PM
Implement: Prototyping
5.00 PM
Ideate: Group Presentation
6.00 PM
Final Presentations
6.00 PM
Cocktail/Mocktail
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Hackathon Spotlight
How to make a hackathon international? Hack the Goals is a worldwide hackathon movement organized in 2018 by Enabel.
Around 500 people participated in the following countries: Belgium, Palestinian Territory (Gaza and West Bank), Senegal, Niger, Morocco, and Uganda. Check out their video compilation here.
Enabel’s Best Practices
How to make a hackathon international? Be very well organized and respect timing. Creativity may benefit from a chaotic environment, but participants need structure and support. Make the terms and conditions available before hand to ensure participants and organizers adopt a common framework and recognize the rules. Involve partners interested in implementing the design concepts to define the challenges and contextualize these challenges before teams start. Diversity is great for creativity. If team members do not have a relationship before the hackathon, actively support collaboration and communication after the hackathon by providing office space and project management support.
Hackathon Spotlight
How to make hackathons impactful? The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Future Food Institute, and the Foundation for the Partnership between Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area collaborated to host the Future Food Hackathon in Rome, Italy.
The winning team was granted a scholarship to attend the Future Food Institute’s “Future Food for Climate Change” in the USA. An excellent way to make the hackathon results applicable in the real world.
It is through brainstorming and collaborative processes like this International Hackathon, that innovation is generated.
Cristina Petracchi, Head of the FAO E-Learning Center
Training
Pre-Hack: Six exercises to prepare for the race.
Race
Hack: Inspire, ideate, implement.
Hack Cycle
Activate
Post Hack: Celebrate, evaluate, maintain momentum.
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POST-HACK
Activate: Celebrate,Evaluate, Maintain Momentum
Activate After the hackathon is when the prototypes come to life and we prepare for the next endeavor.
Celebrate
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Survey
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Sustain Communication
Hack
Publicize
Maintain Momentum
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Give back Post-Hack
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Activate Let’s Celebrate! Congratulate the winners and participants for their hard work--get some treats to celebrate. After the hackathon celebration, remember to turn the venue back into its’ original state. Recycle used materials, wipe down the tables, and sweep the floors.
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Activate Survey the crowd Send out a survey to participants to get their feedback to improve future hackathons. Ask about their ratings for the registration process, venue, and food&drinks as well as their future plans and utility of the hackathon moving forward.
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Activate Sustain communication Facilitate continued communication between participants by sharing contact information. If participants are coming from different nations, it is especially important to solidify these connections for future success.
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Activate Publicize and Publish Keep the story coming. Share media content from the event to diffuse results and gain visibility. Recount participant stories and highlight the hackathon innovation breakthroughs.
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Activate Maintain Momentum The hackathon is just a starting point. The energy created in these intense working days must thrive. Support the new teams and ideas. Encourage proposals. Put into action.
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Hackathon Spotlight
How to ensure teams continue working? Ultrahack is the world’s largest hackathon platform for leading private and public industries to find innovative solutions.
Their approach is rooted in an end-to-end innovation funnel, where participants connect prior to the hackathon as well as follow-up after it ends. In 2018, Ultrahack hosted a hackathon with the Asian Development Bank in the Philippines. Take a look.
Ultrahack’s Best Practices
How to ensure teams continue working? The earlier, the better Allow participants to submit project proposals and begin collaborating before the official hackathon event. Aim for long-term success Encourage corporate funding and commitment to project support after the end of the hackathon. Less is more Limit the number of participants in order to offer proper support and guidance throughout the event.
Hackathon Spotlight
How to sustain the hackathon momentum? In 2018, UNDP Rwanda hosted a Design-a-thon for Climate Information Application Development Using the Internet of Things and a Hackathon for Climate Early Warning Solutions Using the Internet of Things in Kigali and Kayonza.
These innovative events strove to find methods to plan agriculture infrastructure and solve emergency situations.
UNDP Rwanda’s Best Practices How to ensure teams continue working?
Take a human-centered approach to the hackathon. Involve stakeholders from the beginning, allowing them to inform the problem. The Design Thinking methodology allows for this user-centric mentality. Give time for participants to develop their ideas. During UNDP Rwanda’s Design-a-thon, participants took a 30-day break between the two workshops to allow hackers time to reflect. Offer multiple problem statements. UNDP’s hackathon offered six different challenges with two teams per category. Hackers could select themes they are personally invested in, further motivating their work.
We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color.
Maya Angelou, Author and Civil Rights Activist
The hackathon is a cycle. After the prototypes, it continues into real world application.
Training
Plan out the logistics to bring your prototype to life: who, what, where, when.
Race
Hack Cycle
Activate
Reflect on the outcomes, look for improvement, and set future goals.
Seek inspiration, consolidate ideas, iterate the process, and implement the prototype in the market.
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RESOURCES
Embrace: Guides for more inclusive and green hackathons
Inclusivity Guides The ITC-ILO prides itself in multicultural and multilingual learning environments, fostering cooperation between cultures, genders, and abilities. These guides will ensure the hackathon is an inclusive event, aligning with these philosophies.
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Inclusivity Guides Diversity Inclusion There is beauty and power in diversity. When minds from different nations, cultures, and disciplines come together, it encourages the vibrant flow of ideas and opinions. Balance between cultural backgrounds
Balance between religious backgrounds
Balance between linguistic backgrounds
Balance between ages Balance between abilities
Balance between genders
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Inclusivity Guides Multicultural Approach Our increasingly globalized learning environment develops our awareness and sensitivity towards other cultures. Keep this perspective in mind when addressing your audience wherever in the world it may be. Utilize common language and terminology Show multi-culturally sensitive images Choose relatable scenarios and content Select culturally-relevant examples
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Inclusivity Guides Gender Equality When selecting hackathon materials, choose images that promote equity and do not perpetuate stereotypes. Make sure to also include both male and female views, and depict data broken down by sex. Use gender sensitive language: Not gender blind (“Informal economy workers” informal economy”) Not sexist (“Housewife”
“Homemaker”)
Not generic (“He/Him/His/Men”
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“Women working in the
“Their”/“His or Her”)
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Inclusivity Guides Disabled Accessibility Differently abled individuals deserve the same attention and care as everyone else. Take into consideration the various learning styles, offering solutions when necessary. Choose wheelchair-accessible venues Adapt workstations for physical disabilities Offer Braille printers and computer reading software for the visually-impaired Offer microphones, audio support, and sign language translators for the hearing-impaired
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Green Guide The ITC-ILO’s philosophy also aims to support sustainable development projects and the move towards a green economy. To further demonstrate this commitment, the Green Guide suggest how hackathons may be more eco-friendly.
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Green Guide Sustainable Hacks Protecting and saving our Earth may seem a daunting task, however it is the small daily changes that make a difference. Adopt a new eco habit not only for the hackathon, but for life. Refrain from printing unnecessary materials Choose a mainly plant-based, locally-sourced menu Use recyclable/biodegradable plates, cups, napkins, and cutlery Recycle any paper, plastic, glass, tin, or organic waste
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The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope.
Wendell Berry, Writer and Environmentalist
Let’s Collaborate!
Multifaceted Opportunities Interested in having the ITC-ILO host your hackathon? Want to learn more about our hackathons?
Let’s Collaborate! Our Diversified Hack Packs Hack Tools: Receive all the materials necessary to run your hackathon Hack Together: Co-host your hackathon with the ITC-ILO team Hack Total: Invite the ITC-ILO team to administer the hackathon Click here to check out these additional hackathon manuals and toolboxes. Feel free to add new materials--this is a shared database to promote and develop innovative hackathons.
INFO FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT International Training Centre of the ILO Learning Innovation Viale Maestri del Lavoro, 10 10127 Turin – Italy Tom Wambeke Chief, Learning Innovation T +39 011 693 65 78 t.wambeke@itcilo.org www.itcilo.org