An entrepreneur who endured years of bullying has used his experience to help half a million children and young people.
Suffering from bullying during his school years, Michael Brennan created a platform to address this pervasive issue.
The Genesis of the App
Michael Brennan, who faced bullying throughout his primary and secondary school years in Essex, channelled his painful experiences into a meaningful solution. His troubles didn’t end even when his family relocated to the North East, with bullying continuing in his new school in Berwick-upon-Tweed. As social media platforms like Facebook began gaining popularity, the bullying escalated online. With a desire to make a difference, Brennan co-founded his anti-bullying app.
How the App Works
The anonymous reporting feature of the app allows students to report incidents of bullying and cyberbullying, helping schools to manage and address these issues more effectively. It also provides a platform for pupils to discuss concerns about mental health and racism. By enabling students to report issues anonymously, the app aims to create a safer school environment.
Brennan emphasised that for schools and parents looking to combat bullying and cyberbullying, it is crucial for children to have secure avenues for reporting incidents. Embracing technology is a key strategy in addressing these concerns, given the digital nature of the problem.
Adoption and Reach
Currently, 1,000 schools have implemented various anti-bullying programmes through the app, with 500 actively using its software. Brennan mentioned that about 280,000 children and young people are registered on the platform.
The app’s versatility has also led it to be adopted in sports environments. Huddersfield Town and other lower-division clubs have begun using a sports version of the app to address bullying and safeguarding issues within their teams.
Funding and Expansion
The company has raised approximately £1 million in funding to date and moved its headquarters to the MSP tech incubator in Manchester to be closer to its investment base. With around 3,000 schools in the North West, the strategic relocation made sense.
Brennan is actively seeking additional funding, aiming to secure between £750,000 and £1 million within the next three months. This funding will be used to further develop the app for workplace environments, expanding its reach beyond educational and sports settings.
Initial pilot programmes for the workplace app have already commenced, with nine companies on board. These include a mix of large enterprises with 5,000 or more employees and smaller organisations with about 250 employees. The early results have been promising, indicating a strong potential for growth in this new sector.
Challenges and Future Goals
Despite the success, Brennan acknowledges that the deep-rooted issues of bullying and safeguarding aren’t going to disappear overnight. The goal is to create a lasting impact, preparing schools and sports clubs for the next 5-10 years. This approach aims at sustainable cultural change rather than quick fixes.
Brennan pointed out that the introduction of the platform is meant to be a long-term solution. He highlighted the importance of continuous effort and patience in tackling issues like child abuse, radicalisation, and extremism within schools and sports clubs.
Reported Issues and Feedback
Over the past 24 months, 45,000 concerns have been reported through the app across both education and sports settings. This is a significant indicator of the platform’s effectiveness, especially considering the sports version of the app has only been active for the last ten months.
One in ten young people registered on the app have used it to report concerns, underscoring the platform’s reach and impact in providing a safe reporting mechanism.
Extending Beyond Education and Sports
With the promising start in the workplace sector, Brennan is confident about the app’s potential to address issues of harassment and bullying in professional environments. He believes that providing avenues for employees to speak up can help mitigate problems before they escalate.
Support and Advocacy
The company is supported by notable investors and has a strong leadership team. This backing helps in driving their mission forward and expanding the app’s reach. Brennan’s personal experience and resilience play an essential role in his commitment to addressing bullying and safeguarding issues.
Michael Brennan’s anti-bullying app is making significant strides in combating bullying and safeguarding issues in educational and sports environments.
The platform’s success and ongoing development highlight the importance of providing secure and anonymous reporting avenues for young people.
