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How US charity CAMBA is aiming to prevent homelessness through smart design

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By Natalie Mortimer, N/A

November 4, 2015 | 2 min read

CAMBA, a US-based social services charity, has launched a new campaign to prevent homelessness that has design at the heart.

Created by NYC-based agencies Beardwood&Co and Small Stuff, the campaign aims to harness the power of design to help people in high-risk areas who are in danger of becoming evicted, and potentially homeless, before it happens to them.

A specially designed ‘YouCanVan’ has been built for the campaign to provide housing stability intervention services on-site at the charity and in communities where people who are likely to get evicted live.

Counsellors will be in place inside the van, which has been designed to look friendly and inviting, to offer on-site assessment for shelter risk, case management services, housing assistance and community-based program referrals, such as legal services and benefits advocacy.

The campaign takes a data-driven approach and uses mapping technology integrated with court-based housing data to identify “hot zone” areas with high concentrations of people at risk for homelessness.

"If we can help families avoid eviction, it is obviously better for all New Yorkers,” said Julia Beardwood, partner, Beardwood&Co. “CAMBA offered us, with our friends at Small Stuff, an irresistible opportunity to use our branding and design skills to help make the van more appealing to people to visit. We're really proud of the YouCanVan and looking forward to seeing the difference it can make."

The YouCanVan is expected to reach at least 3,000 people annually, and to serve at least 300 families.

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