As digital technologies continue to shape how young people learn, communicate, and participate in society, the responsibility to guide their use with care, ethics, and inclusion becomes increasingly important. The National Social Hackathon, implemented by the Jordan Youth Innovation Forum (JYIF), is conceived as a structured space where reflection meets practice, and where ideas are shaped through collaboration rather than competition.
At its core, the hackathon is not an isolated event, but a learning journey. It brings together youth workers, students, educators, and professionals from diverse backgrounds to engage with generative artificial intelligence as both a tool and a question—one that requires thoughtful consideration of its social impact.
A Space for Meaningful Collaboration
One of the central expectations of the National Social Hackathon is to foster multidisciplinary collaboration. Participants are invited to work across fields, combining technical knowledge with social insight, educational experience, and community awareness. This diversity is essential to developing concepts that are not only innovative, but also grounded in the realities of youth work and digital citizenship.
Through guided teamwork, participants are expected to listen, negotiate, and co-create—recognizing that sustainable solutions to online challenges such as hate speech, misinformation, and exclusion emerge from shared understanding rather than isolated expertise.
From Learning to Application
The hackathon places strong emphasis on capacity building. Training sessions on generative AI, digital harm, and project development are designed to move beyond theory, supporting participants in translating knowledge into practical concepts. The expectation is not technical perfection, but clarity of purpose, ethical awareness, and relevance to real challenges faced by young people in digital spaces.
Mentorship plays a key role in this process. By engaging with experienced professionals, participants are encouraged to refine their ideas, question assumptions, and strengthen their ability to communicate impact clearly and responsibly.
Ethics, Inclusion, and Youth-Centered Design
Another core expectation of the National Social Hackathon is a shared commitment to ethical and inclusive practices. Projects developed during the programme are expected to reflect respect for human rights, diversity, and democratic values. Technology is approached not as an end in itself, but as a means to support safer, more inclusive online environments for young people.
This focus reinforces the role of youth work as a bridge between digital innovation and social responsibility—where technology serves people, not the other way around.
Looking Beyond the National Phase
The national phase will conclude with a pitch day, where teams present their concepts before a jury. Selected participants will move forward to the international social hackathon in Italy, joining peers from partner countries. This next phase represents continuity rather than culmination—an opportunity to further develop ideas, exchange perspectives, and contribute to a wider regional dialogue on AI and youth.
A Collective Commitment
Ultimately, the expectation from the National Social Hackathon is not a single winning idea, but a collective process of learning, experimentation, and reflection. It is an invitation to engage critically with emerging technologies, to collaborate across disciplines, and to imagine digital futures shaped by empathy, responsibility, and inclusion.
In this shared space, progress is measured not only by outcomes, but by the values carried forward—into youth work, education, and the digital environments young people inhabit every day.
The consortium is comprised of: Caleidoscopio Association – Italy (Coordinator), AVEC – France, EUROMED EVE – Belgium, EUROMED EVE – Tunisia, EUROMED EVE – Morocco, Jordan Youth Innovation Forum (JYIF) – Jordan
