The Civic Data Cooperative hosted its first Community Data Hackathon on 6th December 2024, bringing together data enthusiasts from across the Liverpool City Region. Participants collaborated on innovative ways to make datasets more accessible and impactful, focusing on themes like community support, data integration, and local strengths. The event fostered creativity, networking, and problem-solving, with teams developing real-world solutions to enhance public services. Insights from this successful hackathon will shape the next event, scheduled for Spring/Summer 2025.
The Civic Data Cooperative proudly hosted its first Community Data Hackathon on 6th December 2024 at the Municipal Hotel in Liverpool City Centre. This was an inspiring event that brought together talented and enthusiastic participants from across the Liverpool City Region to explore innovative ways of leveraging data for community-driven solutions. Building on the foundations of our Greater Data Programme, launched in summer 2024, this hackathon marked a key milestone in our mission to establish a collaborative approach to data sharing, analysis and utilisation. This aligns with our core goal at the CDC to empower better decision-making for public services and improve the lives of those in our region.
The hackathon was an open-invite event held, promoted via Eventbrite and this attracted a diverse group of people who shared a passion for data and a desire to network, collaborate and create. Attendees ranged from academics, students and those working within tech and data industries in the Liverpool City Region. The hackathon focused on the theme Community Through Data, inviting participants to explore how existing datasets could be made more accessible, insightful and impactful. With collaboration and creativity at its heart, the event opened doors to fresh ideas that could transform data into valuable community tools
The hackathon began with a panel discussion about the Round ‘Ere project undertaken in Widnes, with input from the CDC team, our collaborators at Capacity, and one of the RE Community Researchers. This community approach, coupled with the datasets provided, gave the hackathon teams impetus and inspiration to spend the day compiling insights and ideas. In advance of the hackathon, the CDC shared datasets as a guide for teams – these focussed on areas such unemployment rates, population projection according the Local Authorities and cycling and walking data.
Throughout the day, teams immersed themselves in interpreting and analysing data from their chosen focus areas. Teams then developed innovative perspectives on how the data could be applied to enhance the lives of citizens across the Liverpool City Region. The day culminated thought-provoking and diverse pitches from each team, with a winner and runners-up announced. It was impressive to witness the enthusiasm and insights produced by each team in just one day, with most participants meeting for the first time that morning.
The teams devised a range of exciting solutions and initiatives including:
- A centralised web application that integrates datasets from diverse sources and provides region-specific, tailored views for enhanced user engagement. This focussed on wellbeing and the importance of improving the indicators of this such as access to green spaces and job opportunities.
- Analysis of cycling and walking data in LCR and correlations with deprivation to highlight need for initiatives to encourage regular, habitual activity to sustain community health benefits.
- Insight inspired by the Round ‘Ere project in Widnes to create a tool for better access to important services for residents.
The CDC is excited to utilise the insights and feedback from this hackathon to shape and tailor another hackathon event, scheduled to take place in Spring/Summer 2025. Some of the concepts explored throughout the hackathon included:
- Applications Supporting Communities: Designing tools to help individuals discover available resources, such as mental health support, drawing inspiration from our What’s Your Problem? event on mental health.
- Building Community Strengths: Using data to identify the strengths and opportunities of local communities, following the example of our Round ‘Ere programme with Widnes residents.
- Improving Access Through Data Integration: Linking transport and healthcare datasets to highlight areas needing improved access, inspired by insights from the Combined Authority’s Health Overview report.
Beyond the competition, this was a brilliant learning and networking opportunity, made even more impactful by the knowledge and insights shared throughout the day. Feedback from participants highlighted how enjoyable the collaborative and supportive atmosphere was, which reinforced just how much can be achieved through teamwork and shared ideas.
At the CDC, we will build on the success of this first hackathon and run a second hackathon in Spring/Summer 2025. This event will be inspired by the outcomes of the Great Data Programme and learnings from our wider portfolio of innovation projects.