"JenaVsVirus" camp seeks ideas and bright minds

Solutions for the current situation

In the week after Easter, Jena is holding its own digital camp to find solutions to local challenges in the current coronavirus crisis. Inspired by the German government's "WeVsVirus" hackathon with more than 27,000 active participants, the Jena version from 14 to 18 April will focus on the search for local answers. The camp is being organized by the JENA Digital network, which is based at the Jena Economic Development Agency (JenaWirtschaft).

"We don't want to organize a classic hackathon, which is more aimed at programming software or hardware applications in a competition," says Domenique Dölz, initiator of the project and Cluster Manager Digital Economy at the Jena Economic Development Corporation. "Our goal is not to develop a new super app. Instead, we want to find very pragmatic solutions for our city that can be implemented quickly in order to successfully overcome the crisis together." According to Dölz, the focus is on five areas: Health - Economy and Work - Food, Supply, Welfare - Administration, Digitalization, Data as well as Education and Culture.

Everyone is invited to take part

All Jena residents are called upon to name and submit their challenges for these five areas and ideally also to help solve them. The call for participation, which is also being launched today on various social media channels, already outlines some possible questions as examples: How do I get into the city without going out? How do we provide answers to legal questions when all offices are closed to the public? How can we protect at-risk groups without isolating them? What can we do now so that we can still shop in Jena's favorite stores in the fall?

As Head of the Department for Special Events, Head of Security Benjamin Koppe is the patron of the format: "The coronavirus crisis is presenting our urban society with unprecedented challenges. That's why I'm delighted about JENA Digital's initiative to create a genuine digital participation process with the #JenaVsVirus Camp. All citizens are called upon to identify the challenges of this time of crisis and work together to develop ideas that will help us to overcome these difficult times," says Koppe.

According to Cluster Manager Dölz, however, it is explicitly not just the "IT nerds" who are called upon to take part. "We are looking for bright minds from all areas of Jena's urban society," says Dölz. "The only requirement is that you have the time and desire to develop ideas together with other people between April 14 and 18." Nobody has to be online for four days at a time. You can also get involved on an hourly or daily basis, according to the organizers. Accompanying activities, such as sport and culture, are also part of the camp program. Further information on the specific course of the online project can be found at www.JenaVsVirus.de.