Westfield mall hosts Australia’s first ‘safe space’ for at risk-families

(Source: Supplied)

Westfield Helensvale has partnered with Chris Boyle, a social entrepreneur in the child protection and family support sector, to introduce technology to create a safe space for at-risk families. 

A wearable device called StandbyU Shield is featured at Magnolia Place, described as Australia’s first mall safe space launched in Westfield Helensvale by StandbyU Foundation, aiming to help family and friends to fight complex social issues like as abuse, domestic violence, and loneliness.

The StandbyU Shield

Magnolia Place functions as a place for anyone who has been mistreated or abused by someone close to them, or who wants to help someone they are concerned about.

“We have recently partnered with Scentre Group – the owners of Westfield – to provide a StandbyU space in Westfield Helensvale to meet the needs of the local community, by delivering an all-inclusive, walk-in support service for anyone experiencing abuse or isolation,” said Boyle. 

Magnolia Place

Boyle is a recipient of the Winston Churchill Trust’s Impact Funding program, an initiative designed to improve the results of Churchill Fellowships in Australia.

With the help of the Winston Churchill Trust funds, he will continue to create the cloud-based solution that will automate the StandbyU shield at the national level as well as in other nations like New Zealand, cutting the programming time of each shield by up to 90 per cent. 

Magnolia Place

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