In Eastern Kentucky, we know the challenges holding people back from joining the workforce aren’t just about jobs. They’re about getting to the job, finding care for your kids while you’re at work, and having a safe, affordable place to live at the end of the day.
That’s why SOAR’s Eastern Kentucky Runway Program is hosting a one-of-a-kind event to tackle these issues head-on.
Introducing Ideas to Impact: Turning Barriers into Breakthroughs
Set for Tuesday, June 3 at Hazard Community and Technical College, Ideas to Impact: Turning Barriers into Breakthroughs is more than just a meeting, it’s a hands-on, community-driven “reverse hackathon” where folks from all walks of life will come together to co-create real solutions to the workforce barriers we know all too well: child care, transportation, and housing.
These aren’t abstract problems. In our 12-county region, families spend nearly half their income on child care. Public transportation is limited or nonexistent. Housing options are shrinking, and wages haven’t caught up.
These barriers impact nearly one in three prime-age adults in our region who are currently out of the labor force. The EKY Runway Program was built to address that, and this event is a key piece of that mission.
So, what is a reverse hackathon, anyway?
Unlike a traditional hackathon, where people brainstorm solutions to open-ended challenges, a reverse hackathon flips the model. We start with clearly defined problems—shaped by people with lived experience—and work together to create solutions that can work in real life.
We’re not just imagining a better future. We’re building it.
Three Tracks. One Goal: A Stronger Workforce.
This event will focus on three key tracks:
- Childcare: Exploring options like co-op care models, mobile early learning centers, and training programs that support providers.
- Transportation: Developing community van programs, rural rideshares, or employer-sponsored options that work in a spread-out region.
- Housing: Focusing on local-led efforts like rehab programs, modular housing, and affordable workforce housing solutions.
We’ll bring together community members, business owners, local governments, service providers, and policy experts, all with the shared goal of removing barriers and opening doors.
Why now? Because we can’t afford to wait.
These aren’t distant problems. They’re constant barriers that prevent us from making the life decisions we would make otherwise. They touch everyone in Eastern Kentucky, sometimes directly and sometimes in the background, but always with weight. Ideas to Impact: Turning Barriers into Breakthroughs is a free event for people who feel that weight and want to do something about it.”
– Danna Barnett, SOAR’s Social Enterprise Accelerator Project Manager.
Join us on June 3 in Hazard
Breakfast and lunch will be provided, and we promise you’ll walk away with more than just ideas, you’ll be part of a growing movement to restore economic mobility in our region.
First Federal Center, Room 123 | Hazard Community and Technical College
Tuesday, June 3 | 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM
Ready to help turn barriers into breakthroughs?
Register here to attend.
And if you want to stay in the loop on future opportunities through the EKY Runway Program, like trainings, success stories, and more, you can sign up for updates here.
Let’s shape a future where everyone in Eastern Kentucky has a clear path to meaningful work and the support they need to get there.