CHENNAI : Are outdoor activities important for children after school hours? Life coaches, teachers, and psychologists gathered for the launch of Scooldudes app on April 11 at Taj Coromandel. With summer vacations here, there could’ve been no better time to launch the app that started out as a website in 2013. The technology-driven platform has introduced an array of solutions to de-stress schoolchildren and their parents. It was founded by Ramachandran Kannan, an HR veteran and an author of several books on career guidance and kids development.
“These days, a stressful education system has negatively impacted children’s exuberance, spontaneity and creativity. It has deprived them of learning life, leadership and social skills. Today’s children direly need a mechanism that will relieve them after their school and in their free time. To fill this void, we’re providing them a strong after-school hangout that will offer activities and programmes to nurture and develop their social skills, help in their emotional development, and in honing their academic talent,” said Kannan.
The app launch function was followed by a panel discussion on the topic ‘After school activities versus academics.’ Teresa, headmistress of Sishya School; Chithra Ravi, founder of Chrysalis; Sanjay Rao, emotional intelligence coach, and Vijayalakshmi, wellness and executive coach were present.
With over 10,000 participants already signed in through it’s interactive online and offline engagement platforms in the form of communities, Scooldudes gives children an opportunity to bond with their counterparts and gain experience that would help in developing their skills through daily activities such as contests and webinars.
The platform teaches life skills through outdoor activities like camping, organic farming, cooking with firewood, bonfires, stargazing, archery and other non-competitive games. Offering a year-long curriculum, it operates in three domains — Nature Escape, Careerwise, and Scooldudes Learning Academy. It offers outdoor camps and activities through Nature Escape. Some of the key activities include rock climbing, scuba diving, trekking, and camping. It offers career guidance and mentorship for students of classes 8 to 12 through Careerwise, while Scooldudes Learning Academy teaches masterclasses on all emotions, career- and life-related lessons.
“As we intend to complete the unknown piece missing in the current education system, our activity-oriented skill learning and gaining platforms are exceptional, as no other institution in the current system focuses on physical and mental growth aspects of children,” he said. Scooldudes has a presence in Chennai and other southern states. A recent entrant to Mumbai, it will soon expand to other parts of India including Kolkata, New Delhi, and other tier-one and two cities in a year. They are planning for a global launch.
Scooldudes will be available on Google Play after a week.