A NEW piece of technology was launched in Nowra on Tuesday that could help some of the Shoalhaven’s 200 homeless people.
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As part of National Homeless Person’s Week a touch screen kiosk was installed at Nowra Mall.
The kiosk provides information about where to get a bed for the night, a meal, or how to access local support services through the Path2Home community directory.
Former Shoalhaven mayor Paul Green MLC cut the ribbon on the kiosk.
Mr Green is the chairman of the inquiry into Homelessness and Social Public Affordable Housing.
He said there were about 100,000 homeless people in Australia and hoped technology like the kiosk could help point some of them in the right direction.
“Let’s give them a hand up not a hand out,” he said.
“It doesn’t end here, it’s just part of the process of getting people back on their feet.”
Rosa Women’s Refuge secured the funding for the kiosks and handed them over to Community Housing to install and manage in Nowra and Ulladulla.
Women’s Refuge manager Michelle Miran said the kiosks were not just for vulnerable people in the community but could be used to prevent people becoming homeless in some cases.
“It’s not that we don’t have many services in the Shoalhaven, we do,” she said.
“But we often find people don’t know where they are.
“Hopefully these kiosks will be of use to people before they become homeless.”
Southern Cross Community Housing chief executive officer Marg Kaszo thanked the businesses, council and the community for helping create the Path2Home directory and installing the kiosk.
She said the easy-to-use technology could be added to and updated over time.
“In terms of more ways we can help people access help, these kiosks will be an asset to the Shoalhaven,” she said.