Upopolis: The Secure, Social Network Platform for Youth in Pediatric Care
Everyday Heroes Kids’ Teen Ambassador, Mia Cappuccitti met with Child Life Specialist & Upopolis’ Project Manager Krista Naugler to learn more about their pediatric social network that operates across North America.
Written by Mia Cappuccitti, Teen Ambassador for www.ehkidshealth.com
Everyday Heroes Kids is rapidly expanding, and one of our most recent — and incredibly exciting –partnerships is with Kids’ Health Links Foundation (KHLF).
KHLF has created an innovative platform named Upopolis; a social website for children working through various forms of medical trauma, where they can connect with other kids going through similar situations and experiencing similar feelings and emotions; giving them a safe space to discuss how they feel with peers who truly understand. The platform was inspired by KHLF’s Chair Basile Papaevangelou’s daughter, and her medical experience as a teen. Upopolis also goes beyond their website format, and offers an app for users, that is available for both Apple and Android.
Upopolis’s Project Manager, Krista Naugler, has been practicing as a Child Life Specialist for 25 years in a children’s tertiary hospital and joined the Kids’ Health Links Foundation team about five years ago, her original role before becoming the Upopolis National Project Manager being a programmer for the site.
“Upopolis connects youth through a secure online community, which allows them to safely connect with others like them who are going through medical experiences or life challenges. Upopolis aims to reduces social isolation while educating and empowering youth to play an active role in managing and coping with their diagnosis, condition, or challenge,” Krista stated.
In fact, some of the most common feedback received is that “Kids love the opportunity to connect with others who “get it” and to have a place to connect that reduces that isolation which stems from being the only one you know in that situation or the actual physical isolation due to restrictions, treatment, or hospitalization.”
Some of the features of Upopolis include: a chat feature, the team offers unique groups like Uknow, a medical library with information vetted by our team that is created with youth in mind and Ucope, a group to share about positive coping skills. Youth also have access to Umeets and games nights which are held via video call by the child life team. Upopolis has the option to host form conversations on specific topics and document sections to share resources.
Upopolis is open to youth with critical and chronic medical diagnoses or conditions, plus siblings of these youth and youth navigating grief due to the death of a loved one, and some of the most common topics of discussion are: coping in general, and things like injections, scars, and procedures, “We see that youth often want to process and help by sharing their experiences so they can help other youth on their own journey.” They are hoping to expand the platform to youth of adult patients who are suffering medically.
Youth ages 10–18 years can be referred to Upopolis by a health care professional, teacher, or staff from a Upopolis approved organization, however, if one of the youths’ team members is not a referrer, they can complete the online application to get approved and verified by the Upopolis team, and parents and kids can rest assured that, “The process is quick and can be done as part of the referral for the youth.” As well, even though the recommended age to join is 10, Upopolis has accepted kids as young as 8, through their involvement in camp programs or in-person support groups.
Youth hold accounts as long as they like or until they turn 19. They do offer a volunteer opportunity called Umentor which offers youth the opportunity to stay active in a volunteer role on Upopolis until age 21, “Umentors help to run groups and work on projects with the child life specialists and youth on Upopolis.”
TELUS has been a huge supporter of Upopolis from day one and has been integral to their development. TELUS’s support ensures that the site can remain updated, kept current, and repair any bugs in a timely manner. KHLF also has regular supporters like Sheridan Nurseries who host annual events to support the programs. Grants and annual fundraisers including a fall golf tournament and a spring dinner event are major events that are hosted by KHLF to support their three programs, Upopolis, Upedia, and Umind. People are welcome to support KHLF by clicking the donations button on the website or on the main home page of any of the three program websites.
Overall, Upopolis is simply an incredible resource for youth everywhere who are in need of further support, especially from those who understand what they are going through the most. To find out more about this amazing platform, how your child can get involved, or to donate, visit www.kidshealthlinks.org. Visit the Upopolis platform at www.upopolis.com
