Swindon teenagers design food poverty chatbot in police backed project

A pioneering programme in Swindon is giving young people new skills, confidence and pathways into future careers by combining creativity, technology and hands‑on mentoring. 

Funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner through the Serious Violence Duty, the DiversITy‑talent initiative, delivered in partnership with Wiltshire Police, brings together young people who are at risk or are involved in drugs, knife crime or gangs, and gives them the chance to design and build solutions to the issues they see around them.

Instead of a classroom‑style set‑up, the young people work in small groups with police officers and DiversITy‑talent facilitators, using design‑thinking techniques to explore local problems, test ideas and develop practical, real‑world responses. The hope is that they leave the programme feeling more confident, more connected and more able to see themselves thriving in future careers — whether in technology, business or something they haven’t discovered yet. 

DiversITy‑talent, a Community Interest Company founded by CIONET, The British Computer Society (BCS), the Swindon & Wiltshire Institute of Technology and The ESG Institute, focuses on opening doors for young people who may not always have access to these kinds of opportunities. Two more programmes have already been funded for 2025/26, each working with up to eight young people aged 14–17. The young people are nominated by schools, youth services and safeguarding teams who feel they would benefit from the extra guidance, structure and positive relationships the sessions offer. 

The most recent group chose to look at food poverty, something several had seen first‑hand in their own neighbourhoods. Through interviews, online research and conversations with Wiltshire Police, they uncovered a picture of growing need in Swindon. Food banks, community fridges and local charities are working hard to keep families afloat, but many residents simply don’t know where to find support, or feel too overwhelmed to navigate it. 

Their response was to design BB Bot, an AI‑powered chatbot that makes it easier for anyone to find help quickly and without judgement. A simple QR code placed in GP surgeries, schools, bus stations, community centres, libraries or even in homes, opens the tool instantly. BB Bot then guides people to the nearest open food support, community meals, warm spaces or financial advice. It uses clear language, can translate information when needed, and gives straightforward directions to local services. 

The group built a working prototype and tested it with community partners and with further funding, BB Bot could be piloted in early this year, with a more detailed app planned as a longer‑term next step. 

They presented their work to a selected audience at New College, Swindon, which included representatives from Nationwide, Swindon Borough Council and from the office of South Swindon MP, Heidi Alexander.

One of the partcipants said the scheme had a huge impact on him:

"When I started this, I wouldn't even have been able to speak in front of a class. It's different to having a laugh in front of of thirty people compared to speaking in front thirty people about something I'm passionate about that can change the future.

"And these are people that I've never met before, never know what they could think about it. I'm very proud of myself for doing this and I think everyone involved with this has come quite far"

Police officers were closely involved throughout, not just as mentors but as trusted adults helping the young people understand the wider impact of their work. All sessions took place at the Swindon & Wiltshire Institute of Technology, and each participant received an accredited certificate recognising the skills they developed. 

PC Tom Scourfield is from the Wiltshire Police Youth and Early Intervention team:

"It's a remarkable change and it's a credit to themselves because at the beginning some of them wouldn't even talk, they didn't know how to present, they didn't know how to hold a conversation with a professional. 

"Just to see from day one to now, speaking in front of in front of all these professionals and multi-million pound businesses, it's amazing

DiversITy‑talent co‑founders Anna Somaiya and Jeremy Blaine praised the young people’s imagination and commitment, saying the project shows what can happen when young people are trusted to lead the process and supported with the right tools. 

As BB Bot moves towards the next stage, the organisers hope it will not only help families find support more easily, but also show what’s possible when young people are given the space to create solutions for their own communities.

Published Sunday 1 February 2026