As someone with firsthand experience of a challenge, you’re a “Need-Knower.”
Whether you’re living with a disability, a family member, support worker, or health professional, your insight and input are vital to our co-design process. No one knows your needs better than you!
Let us know what you’re facing, and we’ll work with you and a team of volunteers to make a solution tailored to your needs.
Once we have accepted your challenge, we’ll connect you with a team of passionate volunteer makers who will work with you to develop a practical solution.
While we can’t design medical tech or anything that might pose a risk to your health or safety, we can help with a wide variety of everyday challenges in hobbies, communication, cooking, art, gardening, and more.
The solution is then published on our website so that anyone can replicate it for themselves.
Frequently Asked Question For Need-Knowers.
If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch or review all our FAQs.
No, we’re very flexible! You’re always welcome to join in person, but if you can’t or don’t want to, you can still participate through online meetings, phone calls, or emails – we’ll work with you to find an approach that suits you best.
We accept a wide variety of challenges that improve daily life, including hobbies, communication, cooking, art, gardening, and more. For example, we’ve designed adaptive gardening tools, accessible art easels, and solutions for easier home organisation. However, we cannot work on medical devices or equipment that could pose safety risks.
While our team is committed to doing their very best to design and prototype a practical and impactful solution tailored to your needs, we cannot guarantee that it will be fully functional or complete by the end of the program.
Thanks to philanthropic funding, grants, and community support, there’s no cost to you. We can even help reimburse travel costs if needed.
Yes! The solution developed during the event will belong to you, designed specifically for your needs – provided the solution passes a risk assessment and is deemed safe to deliver. While we can’t guarantee a fully developed solution at every event, we always strive to create something meaningful and functional to address your challenge. Additionally, all solutions are open source, meaning they will be documented and shared so others can build or improve upon them in their own communities.
Absolutely. We encourage carers, family members, support workers or friends to join the process, as their insights can be invaluable in creating the best solution for your needs. Support animals are also welcome to attend events or meetings, ensuring you’re fully supported throughout the experience.
Previous Projects
“It was a great experience, it (the prototype) was certainly what I needed”
“Thanks for the opportunity to see how you and your students make my life easier. I have had an incredible experience in coming here, would you mind if I come back next year?”
Ready to Share Your Challenge?
If you or someone you care about is facing a challenge due to a disability, we’re here to help. Let’s work together to create a solution that makes life easier.
Submit a Challenge