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Image Credits:Clayful co-founders Melissa Pelochino (chief experience officer) and Maria Barrera (chief executive officer )
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Clayfulis a platform that enables students get on eight to 18 to connect with a genial health expert within 60 seconds when they ask it . The startup said it had raise $ 7 million in funding from investors , includingGoogle Latino Founders Fund , Reach Capital , Ovo Fund , Common Sense Ventures , Charter School Growth Fund and Wisdom Ventures .
Clayful wants to “ control every student gets a trust , certified [ human ] coach in their pockets and/or schooltime machine , ” Maria Barrera , chief executive ship’s officer of Clayful said . “ Our invention is base on meeting tyke where they are at in and outside of school , online and on their schedule . ”
Barrera image that the land ’s genial wellness organization was break when read a New York Times article about resurrect suicide among eight - year - old . After talking to instructor , kids , parent and counselors before set in motion the service , Barrera realized that schools are access full point for kids ’ genial wellness serve , and counselors had neither the clock time nor the mental ability to give the acquire turn of kids want support .
“ There were too many kids and too few providers [ mental health professionals ] . Those who desperately require help were getting allow for behind , ” the CEO said .
The American School Counselor Association ( ASCA ) suggests at least one school counselor for every 250 students , but there ’s only one school counselor for every 444 students , according to recent research .
Barrera and Melissa Pelochino , primary experience officer of Clayful , both antecedently worked at Nearpod , an edtech startup , and co - found Clayful two years ago to meet students ’ needs and accost the counsel shortage . Moreover , the duo bringsover 20 years of combined experience in the edtech and education industries . Pelochino , a former teacher , had a least sandpiper as a consultant at Google and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and as a conductor of professional development atK-12 Labatthe Stanford d. school .
The inauguration quiz its first pilots with its on - demand , New World chat - based mental health coaching platform in spring 2022 and now work with more than 50 school to reach thousands of student nationally , Barrera told TechCrunch .
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“ Our customer are schooltime district decision - makers — like superintendents and directors of student services — who can fetch this chopine to their student body , ” Barrera said . “ Partnering with schools allow access and fairness to all students , regardless of kinsfolk mean or geographic locating . ”
Unlike its competitors in the industriousness , like Daybreak and Cartwheel , Clayful ’s singular feature article is that it connects users with mental wellness expert in 60 seconds using inst messaging engineering , which allows for tangible - time connexion and dialogue between a student and a coach , the chief operating officer order .
user get on - requirement , chat - based financial support but do not meet in - person coaches , as the startup puts accent on bear the pupil in real time when they need to bring through everyday challenges , manage emotions and solve problems . “ That signify students can get support where and when they need it , even in the centre of a heated argument , without needing to wait for an appointment , ” Barrera said .
Its political program offers 133 language to ensure inclusivity and accessibility for diverse community of interests and is completely free for students , paid for by school districts .
Clayful suppose that students who participate in more coaching job gossip programs with Clayful during the 2022 - 2023 schooltime year had importantly better attendance rates . The startup claims that scholarly person with zero chats had an intermediate attending pace of 91 % , while student with schmoose had an modal attendance charge per unit of 95 % .
Clayful is a fully distant company with more than 100 staff member , admit mental care coaches and part - time stave . The company will use the money to descale its squad and give more schools and students .
Daybreak Health launches online genial health therapy for teen amid the pandemic ’s genial health crisis
