A new mobile application that employs augmented reality (AR) technology is knocking it out of the park. In short, it does a terrific job addressing anxiety and social isolation in today’s youth. Counsellor Angela McMillan created the app after seeing first-hand the needs and feelings of adolescents in the south Wales valleys. These young people found it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to go to school due to anxiety and social challenges.
The app completed its first pilot just last week with a group of young people supported by Cardiff Youth Service. So far, early feedback has produced some very exciting results! Participants are finding they’re more socially connected and experiencing a significant drop in anxiety.
Counsellor McMillan praised the attractive and intuitive design of the app. She continued, “It’s quite user-friendly because you can distance yourself from it, which just makes viewing your emotions from an external point of view a whole lot easier. Through guided interactive content this functionality helps users to process their feelings, so they don’t feel consumed by them, making for a special and different approach to emotional wellbeing.
The short daily prompts from the app encourage people to think critically about transportation. They can select different aspects that most strongly express their ideas and feelings. One participant, 15-year-old Jonas, shared his experience, saying, “The thoughts of the day’s experiences are going through my mind as I’m choosing the different things.” He highlighted its creative nature, noting, “It’s creative and I’ve never seen something like this before.”
Rocio Cifuentes, the recently appointed Children’s Commissioner for Wales, warned of “deepening worries” over pupil attendance. She highlighted the immediate need to address the worsening mental health crisis facing children. She mentioned that school attendance was still “a huge issue.” The pressures of the pandemic have led to an increase in the number of children missing at least a tenth of their education—now twice as many. Cifuentes readily welcomed any intervention that was focused on keeping young people engaged and improving their emotional and mental wellbeing.
The app is scheduled to be introduced in the new year to chosen schools in Cardiff and Swansea. McMillan is hopeful about what its likely positive impact! “We’re just about to start some pilots in schools in Swansea and Cardiff,” she confirmed. “What we have seen so far in our initial pilots is an increase in social connection.”
From the initial hackathon event Participants have already communicated interest in the app as a potentially very useful resource for people experiencing anxiety. Lili, a 16-year-old tester, noted, “I think it could be helpful for a lot of people. If someone didn’t really like talking then it can be like an ice-breaker to open up conversations with their counsellor.” She thinks the app is especially helpful for people who suffer from social anxiety.
McMillan once again stressed the need to catch up with today’s tech to reach and help young people. “The world is evolving, technology is evolving and I think where schools can use that technology effectively to support children and young people’s attendance, that’s to be welcomed,” she stated.
With the pilot programs rolling out into schools, developers are hopeful about the app’s potential. So are users, who have faith that it can help create community and a sense of calm among young people today. This groundbreaking strategy could be a huge leap towards successfully meeting the increasing mental health needs of our young people today.
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