British Red Cross
Empowering people in flood risk areas to take action to reduce the impact of flooding
Mission
The vision of the British Red Cross is of a world where everyone gets the help they need in a crisis. Our staff and volunteers work together with government and other agencies to help individuals and communities prepare for, cope with and recover from emergencies. A key area of focus for the British Red Cross (BRC) is how to empower people who are at risk of immediate flooding to take action to reduce the impact, and a key enabler for this is through trusted and clear information. We aim to create a tool that utilises AI to help people to get quick access to verified, situation-specific information, provides guidance on actions they can take to prepare for flooding and signposts them to immediate support available. The goal of this tool is to utilise information to reduce the distress of flooding for people at immediate risk, enabling communities to support themselves and each other.
Problem Statement
Approximately 6.1million people in the UK currently live in flood-prone areas. However, knowledge of flood risk and what to do to prepare for flooding is extremely low. The amount of information online is overwhelming, with no obvious single source of truth and information pointing to actions that are not doable in the more immediate timeframe when people are searching for help. This is leading to increased panic during flooding and the inability to take action that can help in the crucial 24-48 hours before. On top of this, there is confusion about who is responsible for what in a flood, leading to frustration as people get passed around to different organisations based on the type of flood, depth of water and their vulnerability levels.
By implementing an AI solution, we can provide simple, relevant guidance, signposting and support, empowering people to take action that can reduce the impact of flooding to their homes and their lives.
What success looks like
A prototype built that we can test with a group of people who have previously experienced flooding.
Improved ability for service users to take action in the early action window (24-48 hours before a flood) and reduce impacts of flooding in homes.
Reduced need for BRC to respond in a flood, as people are more able to self-serve and support themselves and each other.
Skills & Techniques Required
This idea will incorporate the following skills and knowledge:
Gen AI Development
UX/UI Design
Data Management
Skills We're Looking for from Mentors
Gen AI Experts
To develop a tool that can synthesize large quantities of data from different sources & provide accurate, relevant and situation specific information to users. This includes the ability for two-way communication so that the user can specify their needs and what information they’re looking for, sourced from trusted providers.
UX/UI Designers
To ensure the tool offers a seamless user-friendly experience across devices.
Data Engineer
To connect data systems together and ensure the tool can incorporate Red Cross-specific and other statutory body guidance as a layer on top of model.
About the AI for All Buildathon
On November 22-23, 2024, at People’s Mission Hall, Whitechapel, we’re bringing together charities, AI experts, and students to develop impactful AI tools that charities can use to drive social change.
42 London
42 London’s peer-learning model focuses on equipping students with the skills to tackle real-world challenges. By working on Third and Public Sector projects, students gain advanced technical skills, learn to solve complex problems, collaborate with diverse stakeholders, and create impactful solutions—preparing them to excel as skilled engineers and socially conscious innovators.
Our Partners:
Anthropic
Users are able to engage with self-study material, even if they struggle with reading, by using speech recognition and an intuitive interface that guides them step-by-step.
La Fosse Academy
The AI tool encourages continued learning through motivational prompts, feedback, and support, helping users remain committed to their literacy journey
LIS
A simple, Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that demonstrates the speech recognition feature, allowing users to engage with basic learning modules and progress on their own.
X and Why
A product that can grow with the learners, with potential for further modules and content expansion, especially as new sources of funding are secured.
Mentors & Supporters:
Graphcore, Polecat: Providing expert mentorship to help teams build impactful, responsible and technically sound AI solutions aligned with charitable strategic goals.
Join us!
Be part of a buildathon that merges tech innovation with social impact, where your expertise will help shape AI solutions that make a real difference.
Join a community of changemakers, gain hands-on experience, and inspire the next generation of socially conscious engineers.