introducks

Team Name

Bloomers

Team Members

Project Description

Team members:
Sarah Ann
Kanisius Sosrodimardito
Rachel Tan
Roshaal Roberts (no Hackerspace account)
James Audcent
Steven Hodgskin

IntroDucks is a tool designed to address the growing disconnect within Australian communities by fostering civic participation and building stronger local connections. Developed to solve the GovHack 2024 challenge of increasing civic engagement for a resilient democracy, IntroDucks provides a unique onboarding experience for new residents, empowering them to understand, navigate, and actively participate in their local communities.

The platform centers around three core features:

Get Connected: Through an interactive map and calendar, new residents can discover community points of interest such as civic infrastructure (libraries, hospitals, government offices), local events, and volunteer opportunities. Integration with datasets such as My School ensures that families can easily access critical information on local schools, while the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) Charity Register connects users to local causes and volunteer opportunities.

Get a Mentor: IntroDucks pairs new residents with local mentors who guide them through their new environment. Mentors help residents navigate civic services and engage with local governance, further enhancing trust and participation. This feature builds on data from local councils and community organizations to match individuals based on interests and civic goals.

Give Back: Integrated with the Australian Volunteers Program and ACNC Charity Register, this feature connects new residents with local charities, encouraging volunteerism as a means to foster community connection. By encouraging residents to give back, IntroDucks strengthens social cohesion and helps cultivate a stronger democratic culture.

Key Features and Benefits:

Interactive Map: Displays landmarks, public transport, emergency services, and community hubs using datasets like Disaster Assist to highlight areas affected by past disasters and support preparedness.
Civic Education: Provides access to resources like AEC Results and Australian Election Study, helping residents understand local political dynamics and engage more actively in democratic processes.
Localized Experiences: Local councils can customize onboarding experiences, including virtual tours of government offices and community spaces, reducing barriers to civic participation, particularly for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) populations.
Why IntroDucks Matters:
Democracies around the world, including Australia, are facing challenges such as disillusionment, apathy, and decreasing levels of civic engagement. IntroDucks addresses these challenges by offering practical, data-driven solutions to foster a sense of belonging, social cohesion, and trust in democratic processes at the local level. By integrating government datasets with real-world community engagement, IntroDucks helps strengthen democratic resilience and empowers residents to become active participants in shaping their communities.

GovHack Datasets Utilized:
My School: Provides key data about local schools for families.
ACNC Charity Register: Links residents to local charities and volunteer opportunities.
Australian Volunteers Program: Connects residents to meaningful volunteer work.
Disaster Assist: Offers information on past disasters and emergency preparedness.
AEC Results: Displays past election data to improve civic literacy.
Australian Election Study: Provides insights into voter behavior and political engagement trends.
Impact Measurement:
Increased trust in local institutions through mentor interactions and community participation.
Higher levels of civic engagement, tracked through volunteer hours, community event attendance, and mentor feedback.
Improved sense of belonging measured by survey responses on community satisfaction.
The Path Forward:
IntroDucks will begin with a pilot in high-turnover communities where residents are in need of strong civic connections. Over the next 6 to 12 months, it will scale to include additional communities, drawing on feedback from residents and mentors alike. The project aims to invigorate civic participation by creating strong ties between new residents, their mentors, and their local community infrastructure.

By leveraging the power of data and community, IntroDucks offers a fresh, engaging, and scalable approach to building civic resilience in Australia.

Data Story

Data Story: How IntroDucks Leverages Data to Rebuild Communities
In an age where Australians are feeling more disconnected from their local communities and democratic processes, IntroDucks steps in to bridge the gap using data-driven solutions. By gathering insights from a variety of government datasets, IntroDucks helps new residents familiarize themselves with their community, build connections, and foster trust in civic institutions. Here’s how data shapes and powers IntroDucks:

The Problem: A Disconnected Society
Recent reports show that Australians’ participation in social, community, and political activities has declined, with many feeling a reduced sense of belonging and trust in local government institutions. IntroDucks aims to reverse this trend by helping new residents integrate into their communities, fostering active engagement and civic responsibility.

Key Data Sources
To understand the needs of residents and facilitate their connection with their communities, IntroDucks leverages the following datasets:

My School: Provides key information about local schools, helping families make informed decisions and feel connected to their educational options.
ACNC Charity Register: Offers a comprehensive list of local charities, enabling IntroDucks to match new residents with volunteer opportunities, driving community participation and fostering a sense of belonging.
Australian Volunteers Program: Further expands residents’ access to volunteer opportunities, allowing them to give back to their new community.
Disaster Assist: Informs residents about past local disasters and emergency preparedness, strengthening community resilience.
AEC Results and Australian Election Study: Help residents understand the local political landscape, increasing their civic literacy and participation in elections.
These datasets, combined with localized community input, allow IntroDucks to offer tailored resources to new residents based on their location, needs, and interests.

Building Community Connections through Data
At the core of IntroDucks is the idea that data can help rebuild community ties and trust in local governance. The platform integrates data in three major ways:

Connecting Residents to Civic Infrastructure: Using geographic and infrastructure data, the Get Connected tab features an interactive map that highlights key civic resources—libraries, transport offices, hospitals, and community centers. With the help of Disaster Assist data, the map also includes emergency routes and disaster preparedness resources, ensuring that residents are equipped with the knowledge they need to stay safe and informed.

Facilitating Volunteerism and Civic Engagement: IntroDucks taps into the ACNC Charity Register and Australian Volunteers Program datasets to create the Give Back feature, where residents are matched with local charities and volunteer opportunities. This drives civic participation, strengthens community ties, and encourages residents to take ownership of their community’s wellbeing.

Strengthening Civic Literacy: By integrating data from the AEC Results and Australian Election Study, IntroDucks educates new residents about the local political climate, election trends, and voting history, making them more informed citizens. This feature promotes trust in democratic institutions and encourages residents to engage in community decision-making processes.

Measuring Impact with Data
The success of IntroDucks is measured by data-driven metrics that assess civic engagement and community participation. Through regular surveys and feedback loops, the platform collects data on:

Civic Participation: Tracking the number of residents who attend community events, participate in local elections, and engage with civic infrastructure.
Volunteerism: Monitoring the number of hours logged by residents in local volunteering efforts, using ACNC and Australian Volunteers Program data to assess impact.
Community Belonging: Surveying residents to measure their sense of belonging, trust in local institutions, and overall satisfaction with the onboarding process.
By focusing on these key performance indicators, IntroDucks ensures that its data-driven approach is having a tangible, positive impact on both new residents and the communities they join.

The Future of Data in Civic Engagement
As IntroDucks continues to grow, its reliance on data will deepen. Future integrations with government chatbots and additional datasets will expand the platform’s ability to inform residents about their local communities, further increasing civic literacy and engagement. Moreover, real-time feedback from users will enable the platform to evolve based on the specific needs of different communities across Australia.

IntroDucks demonstrates how harnessing data can transform community engagement and foster stronger, more resilient democracies. By connecting new residents to the civic resources they need and encouraging participation in local life, IntroDucks helps pave the way for a more engaged and cohesive society.