Introducing The Keeping Cool Club! – 'Climate and Health Hackathon' Winners
Meet Parthvi Modi, Ria Lakhani, and Zeynep Erdogan, students at Humber College who learned about the 'Climate and Health Hackathon,' organized by the West Toronto Ontario Health Team last October, through their program coordinator. The chance to win the hackathon, make a difference in the community and have it count towards their internship hours was enough motivation for these competitive and driven students to participate. Unsure of how the hackathon would contribute to an already demanding semester, they entered with the intention of having a fun experience. To their surprise, The Keeping Cool Club won – and it’s now a shared fond story among the three.
The idea of organizing a hackathon-style competition to address the health impacts of climate change in West Toronto originated from a community event held in June of this year, organized by the WTOHT’s Partners for Better Care Council (PBCC). During that time, the city's air quality was adversely affected by wildfires in eastern Canada, prompting numerous community members to voice concerns about their health. With temperatures projected to rise consistently each year, the increased threat of wildfires during the summer months prompted the WTOHT and PBCC to respond.
The Hackathon challenged participants to come up with a solution to build resilience for better health among West Toronto communities in the face of climate change. For The Keeping Cool Club, the task was almost tailor-made for them.
Although enrolled in the Content Strategy program at Humber College, each of the students brings a distinct creative flair to the group. Parthvi, with a background in communications, infuses her work with a passion for media and art. Ria, who previously worked as a graphic designer and strategist, adds a unique perspective to the team. Meanwhile, Zeynep's expertise in architecture and urban design makes her well-suited to craft spaces within the city that foster community engagement.
Their plan focuses on youth – a demographic often neglected by climate initiatives. The aim is to create safe pop-up spaces throughout West Toronto, dedicated to offering tailored programs to educate the younger generation on coping strategies that enhance their mental health and overall well-being in the face of extreme weather events.
The goal is to provide young individuals with a sense of optimism, hope, and collective action as they navigate through increasingly challenging times.
The team is currently working with the WTOHT and its partners to set their plan in motion for Summer 2024 and will be piloted in Toronto’s South Parkdale neighborhood.
While motivated by the opportunity in which they have found themselves, the girls are still new to Canada and are at a transitional point in their lives. “Doing something for the community will help me feel a greater sense of belonging here,” says Parthvi.
For Ria, she hopes this project can lead to a career. “My vision for the project is to have a self-sustaining organization where the team can solve problems in Toronto’s most impacted neigbourhoods.”
“I’m excited to see what opportunities come from this project,” says Zeynep who would like to work in the non-profit sector. “For this project, I want to help it thrive through my creativity.”
As they continue their journey, the team has seen their passions come alive, hoping to continue working together in their unique ways to drive positive change.