Ottawa, ON – TryCycle is proud to introduce the launch of Buddy’s Quest, a new mobile game and wellness platform developed with Indigenous youth, for Indigenous youth across Canada. It is the first and only product on the market that combines risk assessment and anonymous peer support in a mobile game, and created specifically for Indigenous youth.

Indigenous leaders, child and youth workers, counsellors, and educators have been calling urgently and consistently for action to help with the unique challenges facing Indigenous youth today. They are searching for tools and supports that meet youth where they are, that strengthen connection, community, and culture. Nations want the ability to protect youth, and to better understand the challenges and struggles of their youth, with insights and data that nations own, and can act on, as it happens, not after. These calls come against the backdrop of a persistent and devastating truth: Indigenous youth continue to experience the highest suicide rates in Canada.

Buddy’s Quest is TryCycle’s response to that call.

Throughout the game, youth encounter gentle, age-appropriate questions about identity, culture, and mental wellness, guided by Buddy the Bear. As they play, anonymous responses are collecting, and nation-specific insights are provided in real-time, helping communities understand where youth are thriving, and where additional support, education, or resources may be needed. Nations are able to segment their data by providing unique unlock codes to different youth groups in their community.

The anonymized, nation-owned data from gameplay can help reveal patterns and understand community-specific risks that may otherwise be unseen:

• Are youth feeling more stress around identity or bullying?
• Are certain seasons, times of year harder than others?
• Are youth open to peer support when it’s offered?

“Data gathered through Buddy’s Quest is meant to be nation-specific reflecting the experiences of youth within each participating community, not national averages. All data remains anonymous and is fully owned by the Nation.” – said Geoff Schaadt, Chief Information Officer, from TryCycle.

Giving Nations a powerful tool to both understand and respond – Buddy’s Quest can provide communities with specific and actionable data that can strengthen communities and supports for young people, without compromising privacy.

Meeting Kids Where They Are, A Digital Pathway to Peer Support

What sets Buddy’s Quest apart is the way it gently and anonymously opens the door for youth to access and connect with culturally safe peer support from within the game itself.

As youth progress through the game, they’re gently prompted with short, reflective questions encouraging them to check in with how they’re feeling and explore sensitive topics in a safe, age-appropriate way. If they choose, with one click youth can start an anonymous one-on-one, text-based chat with a trained Indigenous peer support resource, someone who understands their language, culture, through shared life and lived experiences.

Buddy’s Quest doesn’t replace or provide professional help, therapy, or medical advice. It’s not a help line. It’s a space where youth can access support, connecting safely and anonymously with someone who truly understands and allows youth to feel heard. This approach builds on the successful Talking Stick program, TryCycle’s Indigenous peer support platform launched in 2022, and applies it in a brand-new way directly inside a wellness game designed for Indigenous youth.

“There just aren’t many games made for Indigenous youth. That’s what makes Buddy’s Quest so special. In Canada, we’re not aware of any other digital tool that offers this kind of in-game, anonymous, culturally grounded support pathway for Indigenous youth”, said Brett Merriman, CEO, from TryCycle.

Will Indigenous Youth Use It?

Honouring the voices of Indigenous youth, TryCycle established a dedicated Indigenous Youth Focus Group who played an active and important role in through the design and development of Buddy’s Quest. Participants aged 9 to 19 joined a series of virtual, interactive sessions to provide feedback and input about the games, game levels, design, and overall concept. Their feedback and responses were gathered in group sessions, and through anonymous polls to encourage honest input, without pressure; an approach designed to support open, safe participation, especially around sensitive topics.

Their responses were clear: Indigenous youth loved the design, would use it, share it with friends, found the app easy to use, and most importantly, they felt it was for them.

This important work was undertaken by TryCycle’s team with deep humility, a commitment to collaboration, and a recognition that Indigenous people and communities are the leaders in supporting their youth. Every element from design to language to content was developed in partnership with Indigenous youth, advisors, and clinicians, with regular input, review, and approval.

“When youth don’t see themselves reflected when there’s no space for culture, for identity, for a real sense of belonging it impacts mental health in deep, lasting ways. Buddy’s Quest was created to help change that.” – said Cecile McKay, Provincial Director, Talking Stick, from TryCycle

How it started

Buddy’s Quest is the result of TryCycle’s commitment to co-development and collaboration with Indigenous youth, cultural advisors, clinicians, and mental health professionals. The wellness platform, was created with and for Indigenous youth from the start built to reflect their voices, values, and realities and was self-funded by TryCycle.

TryCycle made a decision to invest in this work after years of listening hearing firsthand from Indigenous leaders, youth workers, and health professionals about the urgent need for safe, culturally relevant tools that support and protect indigenous youth, especially the younger generation (age 7-13). This is our response to that ongoing call: not a product we planned, but a responsibility we chose to take on.

Available Now

Buddy’s Quest aims to support life promotion to spark hope, encourage reflection, and create a space where youth feel a sense of belonging and pride in who they are. Every young person deserves to feel that there are tools, games, and resources designed for them. Nations deserve access to knowledge that can strengthen their own programs, without compromising safety or anonymity.

A trial version of the Buddy’s Quest app is available to download in the app store. This version was released to offer a glimpse into the game’s experience, but it is not the full program. Key features, including access to Indigenous peer support and Nation-specific data insights, are intentionally not active. Why? Because Buddy’s Quest is more than “just a game”. The full program is activated in partnership with each Nation, ensuring that supports are in place, data remains locally owned, and the experience is delivered safely, meaningfully, and on your terms.

If you’re interested in bringing Buddy’s Quest to your Nation, school, or youth program, we’d love to start a conversation. Contact us to learn more: info@nulltrycycle.ca