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ABSTRACT
Stigma and prejudice are barriers to developing policies addressing homelessness. Awareness development, using civic hackathons, may be beneficial in reducing stigma and promoting policy while offering unique training to social work students. The current study explores the feasibility of hosting a university-based homelessness hackathon; associated changes in self-perceived knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and investment in addressing homelessness; and development of innovative solutions. Participants (N=32) attended a 7-hour event, involving expert panels, rapid iteration, and solution pitches. Pre- and postevent surveys demonstrate changes in knowledge and attitudes related to homelessness as well as civic responsibility. The event was less successful in generating deployable solutions. Findings suggest the benefit of university-based hackathons to train social work students and offer considerations for implementing hackathons in educational settings.
Acknowledgment
We wish to thank the community partners who lent their expertise and experience in partnership to understand and innovate around homelessness. Implementation of, and research on, this hackathon were supported by the National Center on Excellence in Homelessness Services as well as Project X-ITE and the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Denver.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Jennifer Wilson
Jennifer Wilson is a PhD candidate, and
Kimberly Bender
Kimberly Bender is a professor and the Associate Dean for Doctoral Education at the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work.
Jonah DeChants
Jonah DeChants is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Colorado State University School of Social Work.