Inside a nonprofit working to support at risk youth
MPOWER is an Australian nonprofit creating a safe digital space for young people who need support, encouragement, and a real sense of community. Their upcoming mobile app brings together challenges, wellness activities, daily check ins, and peer connection to help kids build healthier routines.
Their mission is deeply human. They are trying to reach kids who are going through a lot, many in remote communities, and give them a place where they can talk freely without fear of judgment or harm. For MPOWER, safety is not an add on. It is the foundation.
When early beta testing showed the need for stronger chat safeguards
As soon as the team started beta testing, they saw a few things happen very quickly:
Moderation and safety controls became an urgent priority.
They needed a financially sustainable plan as a nonprofit.
They wanted guidance on how to scale safely as their user base grew.
They needed to ensure chat rooms would stay supportive, respectful, and age appropriate.
Most of all, they needed help in creating a chat experience that kids could trust and adults could confidently monitor.
Working with CometChat to build a safe, scalable, chat system
In their call with CometChat, the team shared their challenges openly and honestly. They were launching an app built on heart, volunteer time, and almost no funding. Every dollar mattered, but so did every moment of safety for the kids using their platform.
Together they shaped a plan that let them keep moving forward without compromising on care, quality, or responsibility.
1. Immediate relief through upgraded limits
To keep beta testing alive without disruption, CometChat immediately offered:
A higher free user limit.
Temporary breathing room while they prepared for launch.
A smoother testing experience for their early community.
This gave the team time to focus on feedback, polish, and stability instead of worrying about platform caps.
2. A custom startup friendly proposal for long term sustainability
Since MPOWER is fully bootstrapped, CometChat committed to creating a special plan that supports:
A low cost pathway until the app begins generating revenue.
Room to scale safely as usage grows.
A transition strategy once the project attracts funding or philanthropy.
A sustainable financial model that does not slow down their mission.
The goal was simple. Help them help kids, without the business burden becoming the barrier.
3. Powerful moderation tools to keep conversations safe
CometChat walked the team through the moderation suite built specifically for sensitive communities, including:
Profanity filters that auto detect and block harmful language.
Data masking that hides personal information like emails and phone numbers.
AI image moderation that blocks violent or explicit images before they reach another user.
Custom rules to define what should be flagged, blocked, or surfaced to moderators.
Workflows that can escalate high risk situations in real time.
For a mental health support app serving kids and teens, this was not just helpful. It was essential.
4. Inspiration from similar mental health communities
CometChat also shared examples of mental wellness platforms that:
Launched free.
Attracted meaningful traction.
Added expert consultations as a paid feature.
Used this model to fund their continued growth.
Used safe chat as the core of their user experience.
This gave MPOWER a pathway to grow sustainably without compromising accessibility.
A partnership that puts safety and compassion first
With CometChat supporting their core communication layer, MPOWER now has:
A secure, moderated environment for young people.
Real time protection from harmful content.
A scalable chat infrastructure that can grow with demand.
Peace of mind knowing their community is protected at all times.
Their app is built on heart, purpose, and the belief that every kid deserves a safe place to talk. CometChat is proud to stand behind them and help turn that belief into a real-world community.
