Hackathons and jams are two methods of engagement that aim to collaboratively solve a broad range of social and environmental issues through ideation, coding, and prototyping. The challenge with these events is that they require a significant commitment from participants, but set a false expectation of what their contribution is capable of accomplishing. Hackathons and jams also encounter issues with theme and participant diversity, their ability to implement long-term initiatives and questions about the ethical authenticity when the objectives of social impact and the organizer’s personal gain are muddled. This research seeks to gain a better understanding of how co-creative problem solving methods: hackathons and jams, are best used in public engagement. The research methods included a literature review and expert interviews on the topic of public engagement, hackathons and jams. The synthesis of research insights uncovered technology solutionism, shifting governance and innovation as three drivers of the phenomenon, and prompted the design of a typology table. This research proposes a new model to public engagement that combines hackathons, jams and other public engagement methods as a continuous sequence of workshops for a comprehensive method that supports broader public engagement objectives for all levels of government and other organizations interested in fostering social impact.