This project brief is being actively worked on and not complete yet
Intro
An effort to end world involuntary homelessness by bringing communities together and providing them with the tools to help people help people who are homeless nearby walk a path to a brighter future
The Core Problem
People who are homeless are surrounded by people who want to help, but don’t know what they can do that will effectively do that.
How kind hearted people like you can solve this problem using BrighterTomorrowMap.com
People want to help but don’t know how to reach those who really need it, and what they can do to help effectively.
The Brighter Tomorrow Map gathers the most effective ideas from around the world for what you can do to actually support people living on the streets to meet their basic needs and take constructive steps to change their situation.
A Closer Look at The Problem
The Homelessness Problem
Many charities now suggest giving money on the streets is making the problem worse rather than better (although that’s hotly debated). In London it’s estimated that 60-80% of people begging aren’t actually homeless, and many of those who do need support aren’t visibly on the streets begging but out of view just trying to get by.
How Big is the Homelessness Problem?
It’s estimated that around 150 million people around the world are homeless in 2022
Many advanced economy nations are operating economic and political conditions which are leading to rapidly rising rates of homelessness, despite constantly growing economies it seems people who are homeless are not seeing the benefits. In the UK numbers have more than doubled since 2010
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According to homeless charity Crisis the number of rough sleepers in the UK has increased by 134% since 2010.
(numbers decreased during Covid19, but charities expect increases in the coming years without a drastic change in direction from the government).
An inverse trend between a nations wealth and the number of people sleeping on the streets holds its ground in most European nations
add chart Homelessness in Europe – Landgeist
Or not progressing at all as in USA
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Note: Nations picked for these examples are the ones we expect to make the bulk of our early user-base, before the platform expands.
Amount donated to charity each year
Yet in the nations mentioned above charitable giving has been growing rapidly over the same time period
USA Chart here
[https://www.philanthropyroundtable.org/resource/statistics-on-u-s-generosity/]
The statistics suggest that the amount being donated to homeless charities is effective in preventing people from ending up sleeping on the streets. That is not a slight on the fantastic work many charities are performing to help those struggling through homelessness. It does however show that donating more to charity is not going to solve homelessness, and it shines a light on the need for new creative and different efforts to change this paradigm.
To our knowledge there are no charities out there claiming that they can end involuntary homelessness. People who find themselves living on the streets today and tomorrow need creative and dramatic efforts to create a systemic change. That is what The Brighter Tomorrow Map ambitiously aims to be.
Mass Migration
Tomorrow’s homelessness situation also needs to consider the shadow of mass-climate migration, which is expected to dwarf the current numbers which governments and charities are already failing to deal with. The world is completely unprepared for large volumes of people transiting away from nations where life becomes un-livable, or fleeing war due to climate change pressure. The Brighter Tomorrow Map aims to be a key
The Brighter Tomorrow Map is also designed to support communities in providing disaster relief support, where a community suddenly needs to provide basic needs to a large group of people displaced and in distress.
The BrighterTomorrowMap
Innovative advantages
Features
Launching
Building a connected and supportive community of people who are homeless, and those who would like to help
Running costs and financing
Team
FAQs
How will people who are homeless access this platform?
- A version of the map with all the fixed resources, is printable to give out or post up in a public location.
- Smart phone ownership is very high around the world, including among people who are homeless. Unwanted but functional phones are items very often donated to shelters and charities.
- The platform also solves this issue itself as you can arrange and publicise an ‘old smart phone collection’ and then give them out yourself/donate them to local charities. Most people have a phone or two sitting in the back of a draw at home.
- The map tells users where they can find free charging points and wifi nearby
There are existing online lists of free resources
- In most countries they are prepared by volunteers and quickly become out of date. The Brighter Tomorrow Map creates a crowd-sourced, always up-to-date repository of all the free
resources available nearby to people who are homeless - and most importantly it allows people who want to help to discuss and share effective ways they can help, and post themselves onto the map.
For example, i’ll make myself available once a week to meet in a local library and help with your CV/Resume. Or bring a meal to a park and have a chat.
The map is path to a brighter future, and a connection to the people nearby who want to support anyone who wants to walk it.
The Brighter Tomorrow Map is a new tool created by a global team of kind-hearted volunteers, which you can use to transform homelessness where you live!
Most of us want to help when we see people sleeping on the streets, but it’s hard to know what will make a difference, and who really needs it. The situation feels never-ending.
The Brighter Tomorrow Map connects you and people who are homeless nearby, and provides the tools to do something effective and support them building a brighter future.
First. Every time you see a free resource which would be useful, like a shelter, suit hire, or food, click on the app and add it to create a worldwide database of everything needed to meet someone’s basic needs.
Second. Click the button on the homepage to explore the most effective ideas that you can do, like a load of laundry, organising a monthly free clothes market, or just meeting for a chat and cup of tea in the park.
Lets build empowered and connected communities that support those going through difficult times as they walk the path to a happier life!
The Brighter Tomorrow Map: https://brightertomorrowmap.com/
Created to connect people who want to help with people sleeping on the streets near us. Provide easy access to basic needs, and crowdsource the most effective ideas anyone can do to support someone living on the streets near them in building a brighter future
The Brighter Tomorrow Map is a new tool which you can use to transform homelessness where you live, created by a global team of kind-hearted volunteers. Most of us want to help when we see people sleeping on the streets, but it’s hard to know what will make a difference, and who really needs it. The situation feels never-ending.
The Brighter Tomorrow Map connects you and people who are homeless nearby, and
provides the tools to do something effective and support them building a brighter future.
First. Every time you see a free resource which would be useful, like a shelter, suit hire, or
food, click on the app and add it to create a worldwide database of everything needed to
meet someone’s basic needs.
Second. Click the button on the homepage to explore the most effective ideas for what you
can do, like a load of laundry, organising a monthly free clothes market, or just meeting for
a chat and cup of tea in the park.
Lets build empowered and connected communities that help those going through difficult
times to walk the path to a happier life!
Changing the world starts with individuals. The Brighter Tomorrow map is a place that removes the barriers imposed between us, and which lets you support the local community as an individual with something unique to share. (moved to the top because this paragraph and the bottom one i felt were the most accurate and powerful)
This map is about sharing. The skills, knowledge and resources that allow some of us to have comfortable and fulfilling lives have been denied to others. Yet for every person that suffers there is another who can help. This map brings these people together.
Community is a powerful thing not because of money, but rather sharing and the networks of
support that it creates. Between everyone, we have all the tools needed to ensure nobody has to suffer. Between us all, there will always be a place to eat, somewhere warm and safe to sleep, to learn new skills or simply even find a friendly conversation. All it takes to do this is having a way of connecting people. This is what this map is for. Sharing can lift people out of difficult times.
The Brighter Tomorrow Map can be used in a few ways. You can add to it any resource you
know of that can help, or that you can offer to aid those in need, along with a location where it
can be found. You can use it to find inspiring people and join an amazing community.
(that would be the other map which is also about to Alpha launch. we have two)
You can print it out as a guide to share with anyone in need, who might be able to use this
reservoir of resources and empathy.
(this point is more important. can you make the reader imagine that they are walking past
someone who is homeless and want to help. current advice from the top charities is that you
shouldn’t give money to people begging as it often traps them in a self-distructive cycle rather
than seeking help. you want to do something, but feel powerless. this map give you the ability to print a guide of all the helpful things that person needs to meet their basic needs, and find
routes and support to change their situation)
If you can help someone write their CV, provide a shower (some people will offer showers, but i don’t want to highlight this option as many people reading will think of the potential issues), a hot meal, give an introduction to a new career and guidance on following that as a path if they want to, or just meet for a cup of tea and a chat.
If you want to take responsibility for issues in your community, this is the place to do so. If you want to learn more about making the world a more positive, open place, this is where you will find the people to do it with. Together, through sharing, we can create an engaged and
supportive community.
Reddit post OP delivers Brighter Tomorrow Map
The Map
[Original
Post](Reddit - Dive into anything
epers_in_london_is/)
How does it work
The inspiration was connection. connecting communities so people could support each
other in times of need. that doesn’t have to be difficult, bringing a cup of tea to a park and
having a chat can be a huge help during stressful times. or work on improving someone’s
CV. Meet in a library and help them job search. You can (soon) also print the map and give
it out to people sleeping on the streets
Its for people in need to easily find free resources near them that will help them meet their
basic needs and change their situation.
Mostly, don’t walk passed with that horrible powerless feeling of wanting to help but just
not being sure what to do
want to help
Please do!
- the easiest thing would be to google for free resources in your town and post them onto
the map - if you have a skill like marketing, graphic design, copywriting, pr etc, please get in touch.
we don’t have anyone working on that other than me - web developers i’d absolutely love to have you join the team. we build in Meteor. There’s
also Wordpress, HTML, CSS and Discourse
things that need you - we all work for free to bring these projects to the world. no-one is getting paid here, but if
you want to donate to
help cover hosting, etc, that’d be pretty awesome
Thank you for reading, and inspiring me to build this map
i will make an effort to answer every question and comment posted here
TLDR: Visit this map and post/offer free resources if
you’d like to help people who are homeless near you
Digital solutions for homelessness crisis with release of Brighter Tomorrow map
Focallocal have created a pioneering online map showing the locations of free resources for
vulnerable people. It is a platform for individuals to share the skills, knowledge, services and
materials that will allow those in need to begin lifting themselves out of difficult situations. The
map can be printed out and distributed to homeless people, directing them to where assistance is available. It can also be added to by anyone who can contribute useful resources. Included on the map are the locations of:
● Surplus food - of both participating individuals and established organisations
● Free clothes, blankets and materials for shelter, donated by participants of the map
● Basic hygiene items; toiletries and feminine care
● Places to wash
● Users who are willing to share skills such as CV writing, job-seeking and interview
advice, writing applications and cover letters
● Users who have other, unique skills to share, from IT knowledge to storytelling and
creative writing
● Secure places to sleep
● Venues where users can meet homeless people for a simple conversation and a cup
of tea
The idea of sharing these resources is mainly to ensure basic living needs are met when
accommodation is not available. Though it also alleviates the less talked about issues of isolation and loneliness, which are all too common amongst the homeless. The map fortifies a network of support in the local community, allowing individuals to directly share unique skills and resources with the vulnerable. It breaks down the barriers between those who have and those who have not, encouraging a less fragmented community. It is much more effective and socially beneficial than tossing a pound coin into a hat; money donations are not always the best solution, and many people who want to help cannot afford to do so this way anyway. The map is a not based on money, rather sharing diverse resources that are abundant in the community.
According to www.homeless.org.uk there were an estimated 4,134 people sleeping rough in
England in 2016. The streets of London are where around 964 of those people slept in the
same year. The number of rough sleepers continues to rise to even more shocking levels. The Department for Communities and Local Government state that the number of people
sleeping rough has more than doubled in the last two years (Autumn 2016 figures, released
25 January 2017). This is the result of large scale changes to housing benefit and welfare,
housing shortages, high private rents, and the inability of local councils to prioritise
homelessness.
Such data does not accurately reflect reality. Many homeless people are invisible and
unknown to local authorities. Those hidden in squats, police cells, in friends or strangers
houses or in unconventional situations are not counted in these statistics. Many of these
people do not have access to basic needs and are isolated from society. This only makes the
problems they face more difficult to resolve. If these people had access to the right,
non-monetary resources, they might be spared a life of homelessness and despair.
Focallocal is the result of 5 years of work and collaboration. It is a non-commercial, not for
profit community of thousands of people, together targeting the root causes of any and all
social issues. Their aim is to unite and take responsibility for health and happiness wherever
they are active, both globally and locally. They proactively create social well-being, rather
than leaving this up to unsympathetic authorities. Focallocal share a vision of creating
spaces for people to meet friendly others, to foster greater community awareness, and to
send a powerful positive message that joy, fun and emotional well-being are vital public
resources - they need to be made and shared.
Focallocal is about creating such alternative causes, paths and opportunities in life. It is a
community exploring fun and creative ways to make the world a friendlier, more connected,
safer and happier place. The Brighter Tomorrow map is one part of an exciting movement of
people looking to do just this. In the words of it’s founder, Andy Tullet:
"The aim of the positive action community I founded is to show people that we all have the
power to change the World we live in for the better, by coming together to tackle issues we are concerned about in our local community, one at a time, using positive actions, and sharing our ideas globally.
I started this map a year and a half ago due to the massive increase in homelessness caused by Government cutbacks in London where I live. It’s a horrible feeling, walking past so many people sleeping in doorways and feeling powerless to help them. We’re advised not to give money now by many of the major charities, so I wanted to find another solution.
Having been homeless for a year myself due to a serious spinal injury, I didn’t want to claim
incapacity benefit as I feared it might lead to me accepting a situation I still hoped I could change.
I’ve always been good at finding resources, and felt that made homelessness much easier for
me. I was able to find friendly people in empty buildings to live with, showers, places to wash
my clothes, and enough food to get by.
This map aims to give people in difficult situations the ability to find resources nearby, and also to provide a tool for those walking past to be able to do something to help, not just feel
powerless to do anything"
Keeping users safe
Sorry for the late reply. Still meeting new family members around Turkey and not always able to get online.
If in the course of the role I meet contacts that might be able to help, I’ll try and put you in touch
Thank you 
Is the platform national
Global. Focusing on the UK and US first just because we can monitor its operation better in English, although we have all languages baked into the system and will push it further afield once its running smoothly.
What level of oversight is there
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All communications are open and visible to the wider community.
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Locality leaders will keep an eye on whats going on where they live, and they do need to have a background check in nations where that is possible.
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Every resource and person offering a resource has a feedback system, a bit like couchsurfing used to do so users can see that others have have had a good and safe experience with each.
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The platform reminds people in each communication about accepting a community resource, and in the listing on the map, that they should only meet in a public space and never in private. Also that users should never tell others where they are living.
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We give new users safeguarding tips when joining.
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Its a resource platform, like taking an Uber or interacting with the public on the streets. We implement reputation and can guide users on safekeeping like encouraging those who are likely to be vulnerable in some circumstances to only interact with members who have built a good reputation.
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The platform also has a strong in-person review team built in so users can flag anything they think is suspicious and have a team look at it. To keep users safe it would be difficult to misuse the platform. More difficult than reaching people who are vulnerable in other ways.
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It also bans anyone asking for money on the platform after three warnings, as those who are homeless are not the only ones who might be vulnerable.