Forty students came together last week for the first Digital Jersey AI Youth Hackathon, spending two intensive days using technology and artificial intelligence to tackle some of the island’s biggest challenges.
Run by Digital Jersey and supported by Prosperity 24/7, the event challenged students aged 12 – 18 to develop innovative solutions linked to key priorities facing Jersey. The result was 11 working solutions covering issues including affordable housing, community support, healthcare, local employment, events discovery and transport.
Working in teams, the students moved from identifying a problem and generating ideas to building functioning prototypes and pitching their solutions to a panel of industry judges – all within just 16 hours.
The event builds on previous hackathons for adults, and forms part of Digital Jersey’s wider commitment to developing future-ready skills and helping young people gain practical experience with emerging technologies. Supporting digital skills development at every stage of the education and career journey is a core part of Digital Jersey’s mission of ‘Accelerating Jersey’s Digital Future.’ Digital Jersey supports initiatives ranging from STEM programmes and work experience opportunities through to digital skills training and career development.
Students were supported by mentors from Digital Jersey and Prosperity 24/7, who helped teams refine their ideas, develop prototypes and prepare their final presentations, while encouraging them to focus on how innovation could improve life in Jersey.
A judging panel of Ian Webb, Chair of the IoD Digital Sub Committee, Geraldine Evans, COO of Prosperity 24/7, and François Chesnay, Business Strategy & AI Consultant, selected the winners across the following categories:
- SideQuest: winner of the Most Impact for Jersey award – a platform connecting islanders with local people looking for support with short jobs and tasks.
- Wise Food: winner of the Best Pitch award – a platform designed to help reduce our carbon footprint based off the food we eat and improve access to affordable food options.
- F Park: winner of the Best Prototype award – a technology solution focused on unlocking private spaces to reduce town congestion, lower emissions, and create an improved parking network across St Helier.
- Parish Pal Network: recipient of the special judges’ award for its focus on tackling the loneliness pandemic faced by our ageing population.
Charlie Miles, Innovation Manager at Digital Jersey, said: “What impressed me most wasn’t just the technology the students created, it was their understanding of the challenges facing Jersey and their determination to find practical solutions. In just two days, they moved from an idea to a working prototype and a confident pitch. That’s exactly the kind of problem-solving, creativity and digital confidence that employers are looking for.
“Events like the Youth Hackathon help young people see that technology isn’t just about coding. It’s about solving problems, working together and creating positive change. The future of Jersey is incredibly bright if this group of young people is anything to go by.”
Geraldine Evans, COO of Prosperity 24/7, said: “Over two fantastic days, more than 40 students from across the island took on the challenge of using technology and AI to solve real problems facing Jersey. The quality of the ideas, prototypes and pitches was outstanding. We saw students tackling topics ranging from housing and health to transport and future skills, and the creativity they demonstrated was genuinely inspiring.
“We are incredibly proud to have supported the event, both financially and through the time our colleagues, who volunteered as mentors and judges. The future leaders of Jersey have shown exactly what they are capable of achieving.”
Seven colleagues from Prosperity 24/7 supported the hackathon, including mentor Liam Burgess, who also designed and produced the event’s custom 3D-printed trophies.
Speaking after the event, Liam Burgess said: “I was able to work with some of the teams on data and mapping challenges and help them think about how to present their ideas professionally.
“It was brilliant to see what they managed to create in such a short period of time. The quality of the solutions and the speed they were able to learn and adapt was impressive.”
Chris Clark, CEO of Prosperity 24/7, added: “We would like to thank Digital Jersey for creating an environment where young people can experiment, innovate and build confidence in their skills.Bringing together students from across the island to tackle meaningful challenges has created an experience that will stay with them long after the event ends.”
