​Use your skills. Serve real needs. Build technology that helps restore what is broken.

​Island ECC and FaithTech are hosting a 1.5 day hackathon for builders, designers, ministry leaders, entrepreneurs, operators, AI enthusiasts, strategists, and problem solvers who want to work on real challenges facing the Church and the city.

​At the heart of the weekend is the idea of redemptive technology: technology shaped by love of neighbor, human dignity, justice, wisdom, and the hope of restoration. We are not building for novelty, hype, or speed alone. We are asking how our tools, systems, workflows, and ideas can help repair harm, reduce friction, strengthen care, increase access, and serve people who are too often overlooked.

​You are welcome if you can code. You are also welcome if you can design, organize, research, write, think strategically, understand people, lead a team, map a process, test an idea, or help make something practical.

​By the end of the weekend, each team will present what they built, what they learned through the Create process, and how their project could continue in a way that serves people redemptively.

​What to expect

​Across two days, you will:

• ​Meet people who want to build for good

• ​Hear real challenge briefs from ministry or community owners

• ​Use the FaithTech Create Playbook as your team process

• ​Learn how to think about redemptive technology in practice

• ​Form a team around a challenge

• ​Explore the people affected by the problem

• ​Clarify what would actually help

• ​Build a prototype, concept, workflow, or practical plan

• ​Get support from facilitators

• ​Present your work at the end of the hackathon.

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​If you have ever wondered how your skills could serve the Church and the city in a practical way, this is a good place to start.

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​FAQs

​Can high school students join? What would be expected of them?

​Yes, high school students are welcome to participate. You don’t need to be an experienced coder, but you should be ready to join a team, listen, learn, and actively contribute throughout the weekend.

​This is a collaborative working event rather than a class or an observation-only experience. We ask everyone to take responsibility for a useful part of their team’s work whether that is by researching a problem, sharing ideas, designing, testing a prototype, preparing a presentation, or coding.

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​Can I attend only Friday or Saturday? Can I share a ticket?

​We strongly encourage you to attend both days. Friday establishes the purpose of the weekend, introduces the challenges, and brings teams together to understand the people and needs behind each problem. Saturday builds on that work through developing, testing, and presenting a response.

​If you can only attend one day, please contact the organizers before registering so we can discuss whether there is a suitable way for you to participate without disrupting your team.

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​What does my registration fee cover?

​The registration fee covers meals, snacks, and refreshments for the duration of the Hackathon plus any materials that you’ll need for the Hackathon.

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​What equipment should I bring?

​Bring a laptop and charger, if you have one, along with any tools you normally use for coding, design, research, writing, or presentations. A notebook and pen are useful too.

​You do not need specialist hardware or paid software to participate.

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​What technical skill level is expected?

​No coding experience or previous hackathon experience is required.

​We welcome developers and experienced technical contributors, but teams also need people who can design, research, write, organise, understand ministry needs, test ideas, and communicate clearly.

​Facilitators will guide teams through the FaithTech Create Playbook, from understanding a real need to developing and presenting a practical response. That response might be a working prototype, a redesigned process, a service concept, or an implementation plan. You are not expected to arrive knowing how to build a complete app.

​The expectation is a willingness to learn, collaborate, and use your skills to serve people thoughtfully.

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​What if the ticket price is a barrier for me?

​We don't want cost to keep anyone from joining. If the price is genuinely prohibitive for you, please reach out to us using the "Contact the Host" link on this page and we'll chat.