Rhianon submitted a proposal to the Future Makers Grant Program for the development of a Youth Wellbeing Check-In App. The Optus Future Makers Program is designed to foster digital innovation and bring to life bold ideas that have the ability to change the social landscape for young people.
Being successful in this process is an outstanding achievement as the competition was fierce. A cheque and trophy were presented to Rhianon at the Optus Future Makers presentation event in Sydney on 19 July.
Rhianan’s project will involve working in partnership with Infoxchange, Kids Help Line and More than just a self-reflection tool, the app will link with workers online case management systems, meaning that vulnerable young people will be able to check-in “virtually” with their support workers – anywhere, anytime, safely and confidentially. The app will help them to stay on top of how they are progressing with issues, such as housing, substance use, mental health and the other critical wellbeing challenges that they face each day. It will provide links to useful resources and information, and have downloaded case plan goals and tasks as “in-pocket” focus reminders. Reflecting the growing sector focus on the challenge of meaningfully measuring the difference that youth support programs make, the app will also collect de-identified information about how young people’s wellbeing changes over time.
Rhianon will be working closely with Kids Help Line (Yourtown) and Infoxchange to map out the next steps of collaboration, and to bring to life our vision for using technology to support better ways of engaging and supporting vulnerable young people.
For more information about the Future Makers program, and to see some of the other amazing projects, please visit the Optus website.