The Serious Type: Founding Members Campaign
All donations of at least $50 by 3/14/21 will be recognized as those who are "Founding Members" of The Serious Type indefinitely.
Project Description
The Serious Type's mission is to empower and equip youth (ages 13-23) to create a happier and healthier world.
There are many current forms of social media where young people can have fun and connect with one another in mostly superficial ways. However, there is not a curated virtual space yet designed specifically for young people to connect with one another on a deeper level, where they can share their serious work and ideas while finding ways to solve today's most pressing issues. The Serious Type will fill this void, allowing youth to shape its future and functionality. We believe in the enormous power of youth and innovative approaches to education. We believe the future of education is through guidance, project-based and self-initiated learning.
The Serious Type will also work with educators to provide prompts and projects for those who need inspiration and/or want to be connected with each other on a united issue or creative initiative. In addition, there is the ability to share a group or institutional project.
MENTAL HEALTH & SUSTAINABILITY
Youth are more at risk than ever before. The rates of depression, anxiety and suicide have skyrocketed in recent years, especially during the pandemic. In addition, young people recognize how critical it is for the entire world to become more sustainable. By our providing them with tools to share their passions, work and ideas with one another, the youngest generations will play a significant role in solving both these problems simultaneously.
MODULE RELEASES
The Serious Type will release its different modules in phases, which mostly depend on funding and development time. We will release The Publishing Module first, which will also function as its MVP (Most Viable Product). Sourcing and sharing content is at the foundation of the website. Next, we will release the Forums Module, which is where those who have been published on The Serious Type (aka "The Serious Types") can communicate with one another. Although only those who have been published can view and participate in the Forums. The next release will include the Rewards Module where students can redeem prizes for their published work. Finally, the Game Module will offer fun and educational games and pop quizzes to further engage users and visitors of the site. The future from there is limitless and depends on the feedback and hopes of The Serious Types. At that point, we will merely be their guides.
Updates
The Campaign FAQs
- What is the market size/opportunity? There are 43 million teens in America alone and over one billion in the world. Approximately 20% of the world population speaks English, the first language that will be available on The Serious Type. In America, 20% of teens in America suffer from depression or anxiety at least one time during their adolescence. About 45% are online almost constantly while 97% use at least one social media platform.
- What is your company/product about and how does it solve the problem? The Serious Type is a website for youth (ages 13-23) to share their serious work and converse with one another on topics that are important to them. We also provide prompts and projects developed by educators for them if they are looking for inspiration. We believe that when young people can express themselves and connect with other youth, when they discover their purpose and take action that they are at a decreased risk for depression, anxiety, and suicide.
- Why are you seeking funding and how will you spend the funding? We need funding to pay for the website development mostly, but for all operations in general. We are beginning with individual donors, but now that we just received our 501c3 are looking for corporate sponsorships and foundation grants, too. We will build partnerships with different entities, bringing government and business together to solve many of the issues teens face today. We will also add an e-commerce element and a phone app to help fund the organization in Year 2. However, in order to receive those grants and sponsorships, we will need to test out the website and then add the Forums Module, Rewards Model and eventually the Gaming Module for it to function optimally.
- Who is on your team? The Founder and President of the Board, Nikki Beinstein, and Chief Marketing Officer, Whitney Foley. We also have a strong team of Advisors and a Board of Directors made up of business and nonprofit professionals and educators as well as several contractors and consultants who work on a contractual or volunteer basis to create the website, develop marketing materials and solicit original content.
- THANK YOU to all who have already contributed to The Serious Type financially or otherwise. Every piece of support goes a long way, especially for a brand new organization working to get its feet off the ground.
For all donors who make contributions of $50 or more by the end of the day on 2/8/2021, The Serious Type will refer to them as the Founding Members in its marketing and communications material indefinitely. Founding Members will also receive two (2) bumper stickers with a white background, which read: "Founding Member of The Serious Type".
**All those who have made donations prior to this campaign will also be considered Founding Members as well as all those who submit content (ages 13-23) on The Serious Type by the end of day on 2/8/2021."
Rewards
For all donors who make contributions of $50 or more by the end of the day on 2/8/2021, The Serious Type will refer to them as the Founding Members in its marketing and communications material indefinitely. Founding Members will also receive two (2) bumper stickers with a white background, which read: "Founding Member of The Serious Type".
**All those who have made donations prior to this campaign will also be considered Founding Members as well as all those who submit content (ages 13-23) on The Serious Type by the end of day on 2/8/2021."