Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

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  • Some court systems are texting people to get them to show up. Could it work here?

    When a defendant misses a court date, it can lead to more severe charges for the defendant, more work for justice professionals, and difficulties for people involved in the case such as witnesses. In order to decrease the amount of missed dates, New York City has began texting people providing a reminder about the time and location. While the large percentage of people who own cell phones make this a cheap and—as early results has shown—effective tool, the spread of the idea is hampered by a lack of cell phone numbers on file.

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  • This simple solution to smartphone addiction is now used in over 600 U.S. schools

    Smartphones can inhibit natural human engagement, invade privacy, or distract us from any number of things we need to pay attention to. So Yondr and companies like it provide ways to lock up people's phones, denying them an outlet for those urges to stay glued to the little screen. One school of many that mandates putting phones in Yondr pouches during school hours cites higher grades and lower disciplinary problems. At concerts, people pay more attention and are less preoccupied by the impulse to video everything they could simply be watching.

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  • Chicago will give hotel workers panic buttons to prevent sexual assault

    A new ordinance in Chicago requires hotels to give panic buttons to employees working in rooms alone. 58 percent of the city’s hotel workers report having experienced flashing, groping, and other forms of sexual harassment from guests. 96 percent say a panic button would make them feel safer. The ordinance also gives workers the right to stop working and leave the area without facing retaliation from their employer.

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  • The Future of Transgender Healthcare Is Online

    Competent transgender care can be hard to access for many, but an organization that is utilizing a telehealth approach is helping to fill the gap in five states across southeastern United States. Although the video conferencing solution can't act as a replacement for a primary care doctor due to the geographical difference, it does provide consistent care for transition-related services.

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  • A Crisis Line That Calms With Texting and Data

    Anxiety, suicidal ideation, and depression are all alarmingly prevalent amongst Americans. Crisis Text Line lets you text immediately with a crisis counsellor when you need someone to talk to. The organization is growing and 86% of users report that the conversations are helpful.

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  • Saving Lives Via Text Message

    Preventing suicide and helping people when they feel most alone are big goals but they are exactly what 'Crisis Text Line' aims to do. This hotline allows individuals to text trained counselors when they are at their most vulnerable, the counselors can talk to them and reach First Responders if the situation warrants it.

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  • This gender-sensitive data tool could revolutionise the fight against poverty

    Currently poverty is assessed on a household basis, however individuals within the same house can experience poverty differently. The Individual Deprivation Measure will be the first gender-sensitive tool that will be able to help better inform policy and understandings of poverty.

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  • At Philly reentry 'hackathon,' using tech to drive down recidivism

    A hackathon in Philadelphia brought together a diverse group of people, including formerly incarcerated individuals, to discuss the complex issue of reentry and come up with tech-based ways to help. The collaboration resulted in four promising projects, with several created to be accessible through text messaging, rather than apps, as many formerly incarcerated individuals lack access to smartphones and wifi.

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  • The chatbots taking over government: what jobs can they do?

    Chatbots don’t sleep. They can respond to citizen inquiries 24 hours a day. From North Charleston to Singapore, automated conversation platforms are improving the connection between governments and the people they serve by providing an easy channel for information exchange and public consultation.

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  • The Compass, Making it Work: Navigating Kenya's Streets with Technology

    Entrepreneurs and startups in Kenya and India are finding success creating products that meet the needs of poorer citizens in those countries. This episode includes a story about a mobile phone app that tackles the difficulty of finding locations in Nairobi using GPS coordinates and a photo, a startup near Bengaluru, India that uses human ATMs to help rural residents access cash via mobile phones, and a Kenyan company building devices that create free public wifi.

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