YE1Z - Batman and Robin - NeighbourLink

Inspiration

We were inspired by the idea that neighborhoods are stronger when people are connected, but in reality, there often isn't a trusted place for residents to communicate. We wanted to build something that encourages community awareness, support, and safety without relying on large, noisy social platforms.

What it does

NeighbourLink allows verified residents of a neighborhood to share updates, safety alerts, lost & found posts, and helpful information. The platform ensures trust through address verification, shows posts on an interactive map, and notifies users about relevant nearby updates in real time.

How we built it

We built the frontend using React and the interactive map interface with the Google Maps JavaScript API. The backend is powered by Django with PostgreSQL for data storage. For secure community membership, we integrated AWS Textract to extract text from uploaded proof-of-address documents and match them to a user’s neighbourhood. Notifications, user profiles, reputation scoring, and posting features complete the platform.

Challenges we ran into

One of the main challenges was accurately verifying user addresses in a way that is both secure and seamless. Integrating OCR through AWS Textract and parsing the extracted text required careful filtering. We also had to handle geolocation data consistently across both backend and frontend. Coordinating the real-time updates and map interactions within a short time frame was also challenging.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We’re proud that we created a platform that not only works technically but also carries real social value. The address verification step makes the community feel more legitimate and safe. We’re also proud of the map-based feed and how intuitive it is to understand what’s happening locally at a glance.

What we learned

We learned how to integrate OCR services effectively, structure geospatial data for practical use, and design user flows that balance security and usability. We also gained experience coordinating multiple APIs, dealing with authentication, and building features quickly as a team.

What's next for YE1Z - Batman and Robin - NeighbourLink

Next, we want to add real-time alerts (WebSockets), group messaging for buildings or streets, optional moderator roles, and deeper analytics to help neighborhoods understand patterns in safety reports. We also plan to refine the verification system and explore using mobile push notifications to keep residents connected on the go.

Built With

• amazon-web-services
• analyze-document
• django
• google-maps
• python
• react
• textract