#MDJunior Youth Hack 2018

_____________________________

What is a hackathon?

A hackathon is a creative problem-solving event during which people come together to transform ideas into reality. As a part of hackathons, contributors devise a means for change (local, global, business, community, etc.), all via technology. These events attract students and professionals with interests in leadership, technology, and teamwork to create an impact on their societies.  They learn and collaborate on software and hardware projects. Most importantly, you can look forward to amazing guest speakers, networking opportunities, helpful workshops, skilled mentors, learning (of course), fun, and great food. Teams present their products in short pitches at the end of the hackathon.

At the Global Youth Health Summit & Hackathon - 2018, we will be hosting two optional seminars, Coding 101 and ‘How to Give an Elevator Pitch’, to help teams create and give successful pitches.

What should a hackathon team look like?

A successful team involves entrepreneurs, marketers, data scientists, web developers, and UI/UX designers. Therefore, while the nature of the word ‘hackathon’ tends to drive inexperienced coders away from the event, hackathons in fact require multiple fields of study and provides participants a great networking and start-up opportunity. Over the course of just one day, you and your team will have the opportunity to create something potentially world changing.

What is the problem we want to solve?

Approximately 1 in every 5 youth aged 13–18 (21.4%) experiences a severe mental disorder at some point during their teenagehood. Teens struggle to deal with the stigma surrounding mental health disorders, often leading to hiding these real medical problems.

Why should you participate?

#MDJrHacks is a great opportunity for you to work with new people, network with professionals, and create something that could make the lives of thousands better. If that’s not incentive enough, the top four teams will receive bragging rights and prizes!

Community Service Requirements

Community service hours will be awarded to registered and attending youth participants as part of the Global Movement #YouthNow to drive awareness for Youth Mental Health. Total number of hours awarded vary for Hackathon, Conference and Volunteers.  Official certificates will be issued. 

FAQs:

Who can attend?

We welcome professional, college and high school participants. If you are interested please register above.  

What about food?

We will provide dinner and breakfast for participants, as well as snacks throughout the event.

What should I bring?

Any form of ID (HKID, passport, or school ID) is necessary to participate in the hackathon, so please do not forget to bring yours. 

Most hackathon participants work all-night or sleep very little throughout the event. Therefore, although not absolutely necessary, we recommend all participants to bring basic toiletries and maybe a sleeping bag. Besides that, bring your computer and any other hardware you may use during the hacking, and most importantly, bring your sharp mind!

What if I don’t have a team?

If you don’t have a team, don’t worry. If you register as an individual, there will be plenty of time for team-building and project ideation at the event.

What if I don’t know how to code?

Coding is not an essential hackathon skill, and successful teams will often consist of a variety of members who bring different skills to the table. That being said, we will be holding a brief Coding 101 seminar at the beginning of the event.

What about hardware?

While you are welcome to bring some of your own, we will be providing basic hardware (such as Raspberry Pis and Arduinos) at the event.