Life during COVID-19: Slovakian social workers use HERE WeGo to help the homeless

According to social workers in Bratislava, more than 4000 people live on the street in the Slovakian capital.

NGO Stopa, a group of professional counselors who work in unison with World Habitat, operate an integration center in the city with the goal of preventing and ending homelessness.

Since its founding in 2017, the organization has provided more than 300 individuals with free social services including work therapy, specialized consulting and emergency housing assistance.

Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, NGO Stopa employees work 12-hour days seeking out high-risk vulnerable people without adequate health care or homes.

Between March 6^th and March 24^th, 2020 the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Bratislava increased from zero to almost 216. The high contagion rate was troubling for NGO Stopa workers who were determined to reach at-risk displaced citizens before the COVID-19 virus.

So, they turned to HERE WeGo for help.

“Small Idea, Big Difference"

HERE WeGo is a free online mapping and navigation service that can provide you with necessary route planning details including cost of public transit, cab fares, parking spots, traffic delays — before you even leave the house.

In a recent social media post, HERE senior data acquisition & community analyst Sona Veresova gave a shout-out to the app because of its beneficial tools and services: “In these extreme times…I am glad to share with you that the use of the HERE WeGo app and [its feature] Collections makes a huge difference for these social workers and their day-to-day activities out in the field."

NGO Stopa used the app to help them keep track of locations and organize supporting activities in areas of Bratislava most prone to unhoused residents, districts like “Old Town" where many people seek last-minute refuge.

During their outreach, the “Collections" feature allowed social workers to easily exchange crucial data with each other in real-time and stay organized. “…[it helps them] deliver help effectively, making sure they don't miss a soul out there. It saves them a lot of time and hassle," continued NGO Stopa team lead Pavel Sabela.

Right now, the organization is providing people with face masks, taking temperatures and offering advice about prevention. “Once the workers return from the field, they can export the data, analyze and prepare for the next day's outreach."

Discover how mapping and location technology from HERE is helping businesses and communities during COVID-19.