Could this app have helped Amaja when she was being bullied at school?

The Advertiser

21 hours ago

For Amaja Scott, the beginning of high school was tough.
Not because of the early morning starts or the increased workload, but because she said she was experiencing bullying.
"I didn't want to go to school; mum had to make me go half the time," the now 14-year-old said.
The Tasmanian teenager said she faced rumours and isolation both in-person and online.
Her mum, Racheal Smith, said her daughter changed from the "generally happy" person she was.
"No child's perfect, but she's probably always been that kid that if someone's being left out, like in primary school, she will leave and go with them," she said.
"Seeing someone so confident, like generally a happy, empathetic person ... to see how much she went in within her shell, and you could tell she wasn't happy doing most things."
Amaja and her mum said the teachers at her school were quite helpful and made her feel safe.
However, when reporting the bullying, there was a fear of being a "tattle".
"You don't want to be the 'tattle' person as well, which then gets you a bigger target on your back," Ms Smith said.
This is where a new application, uSpeak, which is currently in development, may help.
The application, from Launceston,TAS, co-creators Brenton Neighbour and Scott Moran, would allow students to report bullying anonymously.
"uSpeak is a digital platform designed to eliminate bullying within schools," Mr Neighbour said.
"It's a secure and intuitive digital platform, so it will empower students to report bullying anonymously.
"It enables parents to stay informed with real-time alerts when an event is logged, and it will also simultaneously equip educators with powerful data-driven insights to intervene faster, all whilst reducing administrative burden."
Both men had experienced their own battles with bullying.
"Scott's children were being heavily bullied at school," Mr Neighbour said.
"And it came from just bad personal experiences, both from mine and Scott."
He said for both men, there was no option to report the experiences.
"How do you ensure that you get the support you need ... there's only word of mouth," he said.
"You need to go and tell someone, and then if someone sees you telling, you're commonly labelled - snitching."
Ms Smith agreed and said the application could help students who were uncomfortable speaking with others about their experiences.
"If children don't want to be the tattle at school if they're personally keeping a log of this, and then something happens, and the school goes, 'well, we don't know anything about it'," she said.
"They've got that tool to say, 'well, here it is' dated, it's a pattern, so it is actually bullying, it's not a one-off issue, it's repeated."
Mr Neighbour also said that when reporting instances of bullying, there was no follow-up or constant communication and therefore "no conclusion".
"We wanted to create a solution that streamlined this process that also reduces the workload on teachers because we know they are overworked," he said.
"And we also want to be able to permit parents and minors and academics to report if they're noticing behavioural changes, or if they're aware of an outright event that's occurred, so they can report that to the school in a very seamless manner.
"And then the school can also resolve it in a very timely manner as well."
According to the application's site, uSpeak instantly connects the reporter with the "right support," which would offer resources and expert advice.
There would also be AI-supported check-ins throughout the day, asking the reporter how they felt, which would "ensure the right professionals respond with the right support."
Mr Neighbour said the rollout of the application depends on a number of factors, including the organisation's strategic partnership with Australian Catholic University (ACU).
ACU is currently conducting extensive research, gathering qualitative and quantitative data, which Mr Neighbour and Mr Morton will use to implement them into the solution.
They would then look to trial within select schools and, if needed, tweak the app based on the findings.
The co-founders have also had discussions with the Tasmanian Department of Education and have contacted multiple local, state and federal politicians.
A spokesperson for the Department of Education, Child and Young People (DECYP) said there were no plans to use the app at this stage.
"There are a range of school policies, resources and training to provide a whole of system, evidenced-based approach to combat student bullying and other inappropriate behaviour," they said.
To learn more about uSpeak, please visit: https://uspeak.au/.
For Amaja Scott, the beginning of high school was tough.
Not because of the early morning starts or the increased workload, but because she said she was experiencing bullying.
"I didn't want to go to school; mum had to make me go half the time," the now 14-year-old said.
The Tasmanian teenager said she faced rumours and isolation both in-person and online.
Her mum, Racheal Smith, said her daughter changed from the "generally happy" person she was.
"No child's perfect, but she's probably always been that kid that if someone's being left out, like in primary school, she will leave and go with them," she said.
"Seeing someone so confident, like generally a happy, empathetic person ... to see how much she went in within her shell, and you could tell she wasn't happy doing most things."
Amaja and her mum said the teachers at her school were quite helpful and made her feel safe.
However, when reporting the bullying, there was a fear of being a "tattle".
"You don't want to be the 'tattle' person as well, which then gets you a bigger target on your back," Ms Smith said.
This is where a new application, uSpeak, which is currently in development, may help.
The application, from Launceston,TAS, co-creators Brenton Neighbour and Scott Moran, would allow students to report bullying anonymously.
"uSpeak is a digital platform designed to eliminate bullying within schools," Mr Neighbour said.
"It's a secure and intuitive digital platform, so it will empower students to report bullying anonymously.
"It enables parents to stay informed with real-time alerts when an event is logged, and it will also simultaneously equip educators with powerful data-driven insights to intervene faster, all whilst reducing administrative burden."
Both men had experienced their own battles with bullying.
"Scott's children were being heavily bullied at school," Mr Neighbour said.
"And it came from just bad personal experiences, both from mine and Scott."
He said for both men, there was no option to report the experiences.
"How do you ensure that you get the support you need ... there's only word of mouth," he said.
"You need to go and tell someone, and then if someone sees you telling, you're commonly labelled - snitching."
Ms Smith agreed and said the application could help students who were uncomfortable speaking with others about their experiences.
"If children don't want to be the tattle at school if they're personally keeping a log of this, and then something happens, and the school goes, 'well, we don't know anything about it'," she said.
"They've got that tool to say, 'well, here it is' dated, it's a pattern, so it is actually bullying, it's not a one-off issue, it's repeated."
Mr Neighbour also said that when reporting instances of bullying, there was no follow-up or constant communication and therefore "no conclusion".
"We wanted to create a solution that streamlined this process that also reduces the workload on teachers because we know they are overworked," he said.
"And we also want to be able to permit parents and minors and academics to report if they're noticing behavioural changes, or if they're aware of an outright event that's occurred, so they can report that to the school in a very seamless manner.
"And then the school can also resolve it in a very timely manner as well."
According to the application's site, uSpeak instantly connects the reporter with the "right support," which would offer resources and expert advice.
There would also be AI-supported check-ins throughout the day, asking the reporter how they felt, which would "ensure the right professionals respond with the right support."
Mr Neighbour said the rollout of the application depends on a number of factors, including the organisation's strategic partnership with Australian Catholic University (ACU).
ACU is currently conducting extensive research, gathering qualitative and quantitative data, which Mr Neighbour and Mr Morton will use to implement them into the solution.
They would then look to trial within select schools and, if needed, tweak the app based on the findings.
The co-founders have also had discussions with the Tasmanian Department of Education and have contacted multiple local, state and federal politicians.
A spokesperson for the Department of Education, Child and Young People (DECYP) said there were no plans to use the app at this stage.
"There are a range of school policies, resources and training to provide a whole of system, evidenced-based approach to combat student bullying and other inappropriate behaviour," they said.
To learn more about uSpeak, please visit: https://uspeak.au/.
For Amaja Scott, the beginning of high school was tough.
Not because of the early morning starts or the increased workload, but because she said she was experiencing bullying.
"I didn't want to go to school; mum had to make me go half the time," the now 14-year-old said.
The Tasmanian teenager said she faced rumours and isolation both in-person and online.
Her mum, Racheal Smith, said her daughter changed from the "generally happy" person she was.
"No child's perfect, but she's probably always been that kid that if someone's being left out, like in primary school, she will leave and go with them," she said.
"Seeing someone so confident, like generally a happy, empathetic person ... to see how much she went in within her shell, and you could tell she wasn't happy doing most things."
Amaja and her mum said the teachers at her school were quite helpful and made her feel safe.
However, when reporting the bullying, there was a fear of being a "tattle".
"You don't want to be the 'tattle' person as well, which then gets you a bigger target on your back," Ms Smith said.
This is where a new application, uSpeak, which is currently in development, may help.
The application, from Launceston,TAS, co-creators Brenton Neighbour and Scott Moran, would allow students to report bullying anonymously.
"uSpeak is a digital platform designed to eliminate bullying within schools," Mr Neighbour said.
"It's a secure and intuitive digital platform, so it will empower students to report bullying anonymously.
"It enables parents to stay informed with real-time alerts when an event is logged, and it will also simultaneously equip educators with powerful data-driven insights to intervene faster, all whilst reducing administrative burden."
Both men had experienced their own battles with bullying.
"Scott's children were being heavily bullied at school," Mr Neighbour said.
"And it came from just bad personal experiences, both from mine and Scott."
He said for both men, there was no option to report the experiences.
"How do you ensure that you get the support you need ... there's only word of mouth," he said.
"You need to go and tell someone, and then if someone sees you telling, you're commonly labelled - snitching."
Ms Smith agreed and said the application could help students who were uncomfortable speaking with others about their experiences.
"If children don't want to be the tattle at school if they're personally keeping a log of this, and then something happens, and the school goes, 'well, we don't know anything about it'," she said.
"They've got that tool to say, 'well, here it is' dated, it's a pattern, so it is actually bullying, it's not a one-off issue, it's repeated."
Mr Neighbour also said that when reporting instances of bullying, there was no follow-up or constant communication and therefore "no conclusion".
"We wanted to create a solution that streamlined this process that also reduces the workload on teachers because we know they are overworked," he said.
"And we also want to be able to permit parents and minors and academics to report if they're noticing behavioural changes, or if they're aware of an outright event that's occurred, so they can report that to the school in a very seamless manner.
"And then the school can also resolve it in a very timely manner as well."
According to the application's site, uSpeak instantly connects the reporter with the "right support," which would offer resources and expert advice.
There would also be AI-supported check-ins throughout the day, asking the reporter how they felt, which would "ensure the right professionals respond with the right support."
Mr Neighbour said the rollout of the application depends on a number of factors, including the organisation's strategic partnership with Australian Catholic University (ACU).
ACU is currently conducting extensive research, gathering qualitative and quantitative data, which Mr Neighbour and Mr Morton will use to implement them into the solution.
They would then look to trial within select schools and, if needed, tweak the app based on the findings.
The co-founders have also had discussions with the Tasmanian Department of Education and have contacted multiple local, state and federal politicians.
A spokesperson for the Department of Education, Child and Young People (DECYP) said there were no plans to use the app at this stage.
"There are a range of school policies, resources and training to provide a whole of system, evidenced-based approach to combat student bullying and other inappropriate behaviour," they said.
To learn more about uSpeak, please visit: https://uspeak.au/.
For Amaja Scott, the beginning of high school was tough.
Not because of the early morning starts or the increased workload, but because she said she was experiencing bullying.
"I didn't want to go to school; mum had to make me go half the time," the now 14-year-old said.
The Tasmanian teenager said she faced rumours and isolation both in-person and online.
Her mum, Racheal Smith, said her daughter changed from the "generally happy" person she was.
"No child's perfect, but she's probably always been that kid that if someone's being left out, like in primary school, she will leave and go with them," she said.
"Seeing someone so confident, like generally a happy, empathetic person ... to see how much she went in within her shell, and you could tell she wasn't happy doing most things."
Amaja and her mum said the teachers at her school were quite helpful and made her feel safe.
However, when reporting the bullying, there was a fear of being a "tattle".
"You don't want to be the 'tattle' person as well, which then gets you a bigger target on your back," Ms Smith said.
This is where a new application, uSpeak, which is currently in development, may help.
The application, from Launceston,TAS, co-creators Brenton Neighbour and Scott Moran, would allow students to report bullying anonymously.
"uSpeak is a digital platform designed to eliminate bullying within schools," Mr Neighbour said.
"It's a secure and intuitive digital platform, so it will empower students to report bullying anonymously.
"It enables parents to stay informed with real-time alerts when an event is logged, and it will also simultaneously equip educators with powerful data-driven insights to intervene faster, all whilst reducing administrative burden."
Both men had experienced their own battles with bullying.
"Scott's children were being heavily bullied at school," Mr Neighbour said.
"And it came from just bad personal experiences, both from mine and Scott."
He said for both men, there was no option to report the experiences.
"How do you ensure that you get the support you need ... there's only word of mouth," he said.
"You need to go and tell someone, and then if someone sees you telling, you're commonly labelled - snitching."
Ms Smith agreed and said the application could help students who were uncomfortable speaking with others about their experiences.
"If children don't want to be the tattle at school if they're personally keeping a log of this, and then something happens, and the school goes, 'well, we don't know anything about it'," she said.
"They've got that tool to say, 'well, here it is' dated, it's a pattern, so it is actually bullying, it's not a one-off issue, it's repeated."
Mr Neighbour also said that when reporting instances of bullying, there was no follow-up or constant communication and therefore "no conclusion".
"We wanted to create a solution that streamlined this process that also reduces the workload on teachers because we know they are overworked," he said.
"And we also want to be able to permit parents and minors and academics to report if they're noticing behavioural changes, or if they're aware of an outright event that's occurred, so they can report that to the school in a very seamless manner.
"And then the school can also resolve it in a very timely manner as well."
According to the application's site, uSpeak instantly connects the reporter with the "right support," which would offer resources and expert advice.
There would also be AI-supported check-ins throughout the day, asking the reporter how they felt, which would "ensure the right professionals respond with the right support."
Mr Neighbour said the rollout of the application depends on a number of factors, including the organisation's strategic partnership with Australian Catholic University (ACU).
ACU is currently conducting extensive research, gathering qualitative and quantitative data, which Mr Neighbour and Mr Morton will use to implement them into the solution.
They would then look to trial within select schools and, if needed, tweak the app based on the findings.
The co-founders have also had discussions with the Tasmanian Department of Education and have contacted multiple local, state and federal politicians.
A spokesperson for the Department of Education, Child and Young People (DECYP) said there were no plans to use the app at this stage.
"There are a range of school policies, resources and training to provide a whole of system, evidenced-based approach to combat student bullying and other inappropriate behaviour," they said.
To learn more about uSpeak, please visit: https://uspeak.au/.