In Thailand, a groundbreaking initiative is empowering young people to become agents of change in their communities through a creative and collaborative event known as the "Youth Social Hackathon." Now in its second edition and titled Mission Possible, this four-day program draws inspiration from the tech world’s hackathon model but is deeply rooted in Catholic values and the spirit of synodality.
Rather than developing apps or software, students are invited to identify pressing social issues in their own neighborhoods, journey alongside marginalized individuals, and craft innovative solutions grounded in empathy and active listening. These ideas are then presented to a panel of experts for a chance to receive funding to bring their proposals to life.
Dr. Peter Monthienvichienchai, Director of LiCAS News and one of the organizers, likens the format to a tech startup pitch event, but with a critical twist. “Instead of creating a digital product, we’re asking students to listen to the struggles of people on the fringes of society, walk with them, and co-create solutions that matter,” he explained. “It’s a real exercise in synodality listening, discerning, and acting together.”
What sets this hackathon apart is its focus on youth-led discernment. Participants students from 12 Catholic schools across Thailand are encouraged not just to solve problems, but to define which problems are most urgent in their communities. Over the first two days, the emphasis is on attentive listening and understanding the lived experiences of others. The young participants are mentored not by tech executives but by real-life changemakers individuals who have initiated transformative projects in their own communities.
Though organized by the Catholic Education Council of Thailand and supported by the Archdiocese of Bangkok and the Synod’s General Secretariat, the event is inclusive. Many students taking part are not Catholic themselves, making the hackathon an open invitation to explore and practice the principles of synodality journeying together, inclusion, and collaborative action.
Dr. Monthienvichienchai highlights the transformative potential of this approach. “The idea is to speak to youth in their own language to tap into their creativity, their passion, and their willingness to engage. But more than that, we want to show them that their voice matters. That they are trusted not just to implement solutions, but to identify what truly needs fixing.”
At the conclusion of the hackathon, teams with the most impactful and realistic proposals are awarded funding to implement their ideas. But even beyond financial support, the experience itself is designed to awaken in participants a new way of seeing the world. “When you learn to describe a situation differently, it can open up new possibilities,” Dr. Monthienvichienchai said. “That’s what we want for these young people to leave with a sense of empowerment, to know they have the ability to make a difference even without institutional backing.”
He hopes the participants leave not only with strategies for social impact but with a deeper personal insight that they each carry a unique ‘superpower’ within them. “When they see a problem, we want them to feel confident that they can approach it differently, act courageously, and be inspired by the Holy Spirit to bring about change.”
The Youth Social Hackathon, then, is more than a student competition. It is a living experience of synodality in action where listening leads to innovation, inclusion drives purpose, and young voices help shape the future of their communities and the Church.