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Shared Futures
Foundation

Buildathons

People working together on one real problem.

A buildathon is a structured event. Participants learn about a problem that affects a disadvantaged community, research one part of it in a team, and build a simple practical response with help from mentors.

An organiser briefing participants at Buildathon London 2026

The format

From a problem to a practical response.

Every buildathon follows the same stages, from the trustees approving the problem to the review afterwards.

  1. 01

    The trustees choose a problem

    They check who is affected, what evidence exists, and whether a buildathon can do useful work on it. The Foundation then researches the problem and writes a short brief.

  2. 02

    Participants learn about it

    The event opens with the problem: who it affects, what support already exists, and what the evidence says. People who know the problem first hand speak and take questions.

  3. 03

    Teams pick one part

    Participants work in small teams. Each team chooses one part of the problem and researches who is affected, what exists already and what could be improved.

  4. 04

    Mentors support the work

    Mentors help with research, technology, design and testing. They help teams narrow the problem. They do not choose the answer.

  5. 05

    Teams build a simple response

    A website, guide, toolkit, prototype, research report or another practical resource. It does not need to be a finished product.

  6. 06

    Teams present and get feedback

    Each team explains the problem, the evidence, what it built and what it would do next. Afterwards the Foundation reviews the programme and may publish useful work.

The problems

Problems affecting disadvantaged communities.

The trustees do not approve a programme because it is interesting, innovative or likely to attract publicity. It must help the people the Foundation exists for.

  • 01

    Debt and financial hardship

    Helping people find free debt advice, understand the information they are given, and know when and where to ask for help.

  • 02

    Affordable housing

    Helping people find reliable housing information, understand application processes, and reach the right support.

  • 03

    Jobs and useful skills

    Opening up practical skills, including digital and AI tools, to people who have had fewer chances to learn them.

  • 04

    Digital exclusion

    Working on access to technology for people who have limited use of devices, tools or the internet.

  • 05

    Access to public services

    Making existing information and services easier to find, understand and use.

  • 06

    Another problem

    Other problems affecting disadvantaged communities, once the trustees have approved them.

    Suggest one

What teams build

A simple response, not a finished product.

  • A website
  • A guide
  • A toolkit
  • A prototype
  • A simple digital tool
  • A research report
  • A public information resource

Where work is useful to the wider community, the Foundation may publish or share it, so the people who attend are not the only ones who benefit.

Practical training

Only what helps the work.

  • Finding reliable information
  • Checking sources
  • Understanding basic data
  • Defining a problem
  • Speaking to people affected
  • Using digital tools
  • Basic coding
  • No-code tools
  • Artificial intelligence tools
  • Design and prototyping
  • Teamwork and project planning
  • Presenting work

The Foundation does not provide formal qualifications. Participants may receive a certificate showing that they took part.

Teams decide

We explain the problem. We do not choose the answer.

Teams decide what to build and explain the evidence behind their decision. No one is asked to support a party, policy, campaign, company, product or particular solution.

Participants can:

  • Ask questions
  • Challenge speakers and mentors
  • Look at other information
  • Disagree with each other
  • Choose different approaches
  • Build different responses to the same problem

Events

Past and upcoming.

Support a buildathon

Organisations can help with funding, venues, tools, speakers and mentors. Charities and community groups can share the opportunity with the people it is for.

Get in touch Read the code of conduct

Hear about the next buildathon first.

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