Homelessness Action - Safer Streets App
20 November 2023
Andrea Filip Tortella, a Politics, Sociology, and East European Studies BA student at SSEES and a Laidlaw Scholar, has researched homelessness extensively. As a result of his efforts, he has developed an innovative app that addresses the challenges posed by homelessness.
The Safer Streets App aims to empower the homeless community by providing a platform for reporting abuses and seeking immediate assistance for basic needs such as food, medicine, and clothing. It serves as a bridge between the homeless, charitable organisations and police, facilitating real-time communication and assistance. Additionally, the app offers a secure way for administrators to monitor reports of abuse and help requests through a mapped interface.
Andrea explains: "The Safer Streets App is designed to be a lifeline for the homeless, offering them a voice and a means to seek help when they need it the most."
The app is designed to help the user:
- Report Abuses: Homeless individuals can instantly report any abuses they are victims of, such as physical violence or harassment. With a simple tap of a button, the report is logged.
- Seek Help: The app features straightforward buttons for requesting food, medicine, or clothing. Once a request is made, real-time notifications are sent to the police and partner charities who can then provide immediate assistance.
- Profile Area: Users can register their personal information, including Name, Age, Nationality, Time being homeless, Reason for homelessness, and Former Occupation. Providing value data
- Administrative Map: An exclusive feature accessible only by the administrator, this map displays dots representing each report of abuse or help request. This enables better monitoring and resource allocation.
Find out more about the The Laidlaw Research and Leadership Programme at UCL.
Photo by Clay LeConey on Unsplash