CloserToYou: Neighbours helping neighbours

During hard times, like the one we are currently facing, solidarity among people increases that we may provide or ask for help.

Countries around the world have asked their citizens to go into quarantine to help prevent further infections of COVID-19 and have stipulated clear exceptions to go outside their homes.

During this situation, we have seen on social media how neighbors offer to help the elderly or people with specific conditions to do activities outside the home. 

Helping one another is in Globant’s DNA, and is in that sense that we find inspiration in the collective solidarity movement, therefore,  we decided to contribute from what we know best: technology. The result is CloserToYou, a virtual platform that enables you to identify and communicate with volunteers near your home.

Who can be a volunteer?

Anyone can become a volunteer, and even a closed group. When you enter the platform for the first time as a volunteer, users will need to register and a profile will be configured. The user can modify its name, address, and choose if they want to show the exact or approximate address and leave a comment. By default, volunteers are shown without revealing their name and with an approximate address, in order to take care of the privacy of the data. 

How does CloserToYou work?

An older person, or with specific conditions, can search for CloserToYou volunteers by viewing the map and zooming in a radius of a few blocks. This person can send a message to the volunteers in that area requesting help.

Once the person requests help in the required area, the volunteer may or may not respond to the request. At that time you can reveal your identity. After the first contact, they can coordinate further efforts by email or telephone communication.

This action is part of the Taking Care initiative by Globant. This aims to provide help to citizens, health systems, and governments through technology.

Globant’s added goal is to contribute to education, through the digital advice of educational entities. Also, to be alongside organizations in this crisis, to guarantee their business continuity.