NTIA recently launched a partnership with ‘Where You At’ (WYA), the new female-founded nightlife safety app which solves the problem of losing friends in busy festivals and venues. Combining the power of bluetooth technology and precise in-app mapping, the innovative app is currently being piloted across several venues in London and Nottingham.
The Launch event, at London’s E1,featured an art exhibition, a panel talk about safety in the nightlife industry with speakers from across the sector. The evening also demonstrated how WYA’s innovative application of Bluetooth technology functions, allowing attendees to navigate around the venue via the app and locate themselves, friends, and various facilities. The app works when there is no internet connection or phone signal and if there is an incident, you can also ping your friends to alert them to come to your aid.
The event featured art exhibition ‘Nightlife’, curated in partnership with the art collective Loose Screws. 50 artworks were on display and attendees were able to precisely locate and read details about the artworks using the app, showcasing a novel function of the app at the intersection of art and tech.
Speaking on the rationale behind WYA founder Tamzin says: “You know that feeling when you’re out with friends, and suddenly you can’t find them? We’ve all been there. That’s where WYA comes in. Our app solves this problem using indoor mapping, so you can precisely locate your friends, seeing whether they’re by the bar or on the dancefloor. And the best part? It works without an internet connection or signal, making your nights out safer and more enjoyable.”
We also want to thank our early adopters in London and Nottingham for helping us to build our product – which is on a mission to make nightlife easier, and safer, for everyone.“
Silvana Kill, Director for the NTIA says: “Following recent campaigns looking at the safety of the vulnerable people at night, the Night Time Industries Association has partnered with “Where You At” App which is a mobile app that allows individuals to find and message their friends, tracking their precise location in and around night time spaces.”
“An exceptional amount of work has been done within the sector, which is focused on creating safer environments for people to socialise within, and build public confidence. Under the Night Safe Champion programme, this initiative is one of many layers of safeguarding mechanisms which will prove to enhance communication between staff and customers if they are feeling vulnerable or concerned about their safety.”
“As someone who has been involved in this sector for 25 years, I’ve seen first hand how quickly an individual can become intoxicated, disorientated or simply lost. The moment you are on your own, you become vulnerable. The Where You At app is a great solution, for such circumstances, and its unique functionality means you can still use the app without a signal which makes its accessibility an even more valuable tool.”
“We continue to talk about the issues faced in our night time spaces. It’s time we start talking about what we are doing as an industry and the many initiatives like the Where You At app that are available out there that can help prevent and protect vulnerable people.”
“The challenges around safeguarding are many, and multi-faceted; bringing together partners with initiatives and solutions like the Where You At app, as a way of helping our customers feel safe, supported and empowered to enjoy a night out, without concerns”
“It is not just about bringing together solutions and service providers, it is about ensuring everything we do has a positive impact on the ground”
“Every safeguarding initiative we work with, commits to measuring and monitoring its effectiveness, as part of their commitment to continuous improvement. And as part of the Night Safe Champion programme, we do this by asking our customers”
“The Where You At app, can not only be used to help and support, but could also be used to aid in reporting, and assist in investigations and might help to increase the chance of a successful prosecution”
“It is of vital importance that we all work together as a community to stamp out such crimes. We do this by driving away current normalised behaviours that vulnerable people currently have to face, empowering workforce to ensure they have the confidence to engage, help and support, and make sure our customers feel heard and feel safe.”
