An Ideas Hackathon - a new approach to funding
Regent Exhibitions Ltd, owner of IMEX Group, launched the Brighton & Hove Homelessness Fund with Sussex Community Foundation to help tackle homelessness, with the aim to ensure the money was well spent, making the greatest impact.
With that in mind, the idea of hosting an ‘Ideas Hackathon’ was hatched.
“What is a hackathon?” we hear you say....
Well, it’s a collaborative event with people working together to solve a problem, with its beginnings coming from the world of tech and coding. ‘Hackathon’ is a combination of the words ‘hack’ and ‘marathon’.
So, with the support of the HRSN and some talented folk from the private sector, they hosted an Ideas Hackathon, inviting local VCSE organisations with projects to pitch and private sector volunteers to coach teams. Seven VCSE groups, six volunteer coaches (plus local leaders from the VCSE and statutory sector) joined, bringing diverse skills and experiences.
Participants valued the diversity, networking, and mentorship. The aim of the Hackathon event was that participating organisations had the makings of a fundable idea to submit to the B&H Homelessness Fund (as well as other grants).
“Really stimulating day! Lots of diverse skills and experiences which has generated some exciting well thought out ideas.”
Following this process the B&H Homelessness Fund has awarded:
BHT Sussex ‘SPARC’ project – providing supported work placements.
The Clock Tower Sanctuary, Sussex Nightstop and YMCA DLG ‘Here for You’ project – a collaborative piece of work to make sure that all young people at risk of homelessness in the City know where to go for help.
Off the Fence Trust – Microsite Housing Project – looking to provide permanent homes for families facing homelessness.
Brighton & Hove Common Ambition Co-Production Training to support services in the city to better engage people with lived experience in service delivery and improvement and co-produce systems change.
Justlife Foundation to support the Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Network (HRSN) bringing the VCSE sector together through collaboration, both within the sector and with statutory and private sector partners – including supporting the Hackathon event.
You can find out more about each project here.
Watch this space for updates in 2025, on how things are going: impact updates from the above projects; plans for an Ideas Hackathon 2; more opportunities for the VCSE sector and private sector to come together in innovative ways to address the complex issue of homelessness, its causes and its negative impact.