A combination of fabrication know-how, a tragic loss of a rehabilitation centre, and seeing local homelessness at first hand has prompted a local man to action a micro-camper business idea.
Joel Beven has launched the first prototype of Shelter3, a micro-camper towable by a bicycle or e-scooter. He has built it using his fabrication engineering skills with a key motivation of giving locals experiencing homelessness a safe, basic and empowering space of their own.
Between engineering race cars and aircraft over his 20-year career, Joel was also involved in Kaikōura’s Avodah Spiritual Retreat for trauma and addiction rehabilitation – which tragically burnt down during the October, 2025 fires.
However, an even closer-to-home experience called him into action. “I’d just taken my daughters to the pool in Blenheim. We were just leaving, and I saw a guy who I had seen a couple of times walking down the middle of the road with a filthy duvet covering him up, bare feet.
“I just thought, I’ve got to do this because it’s become too heartbreaking to see because I was at Avodah when it burnt out, we spent almost four years of work there and seeing it go up so quick, it felt like it was the right time to launch micro-campers.
“The other thing I was noticing was organizations being funded to help homeless just help them where they are, so if I can get them built and directly give them to people, it gives them agency and their own secure space.”
Shelter3 currently includes a single bed, fold out camping stove, a fan, solar lighting and charging run through a 12V battery, and plenty of storage for clothing and personal items.
Joel was inspired by canvas micro-campers popular in Europe but wanted a more permanent structure.
“The whole thing costs less than a week of emergency accommodation, let alone the amount of dignity, privacy, and safety. They are able to lock and leave it, and if someone gets asked to move on it’s not a problem for them to take belongings.”
And while Joel already has made design improvements on his prototype efforts for his planned production versions, the first effort has been well received by his 14-year-old daughter.
“She’s commandeered it for the holidays, and she’s hasn’t missed a night, so I’m sure it’ll suit everyone else.
“It’s as lightweight as I can make it on a first go, but proper production ones are going to be a little bit smaller and lighter. I’d rather go overboard to start and work backwards.
“I’m speaking with the Council about a pilot, because I really believe that if we show our local homeless that ‘actually my community actually cares about me, they want me to get better and want me to have a good night’s sleep, they’re not turning their back to me’, it’s a better outcome for everyone.”
Support Joel and Shelter3 at www.givealittle.co.nz/shelter-for-our-homeless
