At Syntero Inc., popular children’s superheroes and cartoon characters are a serious matter. The organization provides counseling, clinics and other programs that promote healthy behaviors in adults and children — with a particular focus on helping at-risk kids.
Groups are based around popular franchises and characters that make them relatable to children. For example, to teach anger management strategies, Syntero offers a camp called “Angry Birds.” Its Star Wars group, “Jedi Mind Tricks,” helps teach children strategies to control their worries and stressors.
“Each summer, we offer a variety of groups meant to focus on building coping skills and providing some psychoeducation on mental health and how this affects us individually,” says Shantel Hammett, the school-based clinician and summer program coordinator for Syntero.
Keeping track of these services quickly became a time-consuming task. Every time a parent would sign up for one of Syntero’s camps, they would have to call the office, and Hammett would manually put their information into a spreadsheet. SignUpGenius provided a time-saving solution.
“As an organizer, I haven’t had to keep track of registrations. All of the information needed was compiled in one place and when groups were full, users could no longer register,” Hammett says. “I also enjoyed the fact that parents could delete the registration themselves if they were unable to attend, and I would be notified of cancellations. Parents really appreciated the ease of an online registration, and I was notified anytime there was a change.”
We can’t wait to see the good work Syntero continues to do in Columbus, Ohio, and the children they will help with their knowledge, dedication and creativity. Keep doing genius things!