Buddy's Quest - Buddy's Quest

Meeting Indigenous Youth Where They Are.

A gamified mental wellness app created with Indigenous youth, for Indigenous youth. Fun, safe, and judgement-free, Buddy’s Quest empowers youth through gameplay, learning, and connection.

Combining Play & Learning

Gamified learning enhances engagement, builds critical thinking, and helps retain information.

In the Classroom

Educators can integrate Buddy’s Quest into learning activities to create a supportive and interactive environment for discussing mental health topics.

At Home

Youth can play independently, exploring important topics at their own pace and comfort level.

Impact

“It really opened my eyes as to what Buddy’s Quest could do for our youth. It made me excited to use this tool to really make a change in how we have conversations with youth.”

Brittany Manitowabi

Community Wellness Worker, Dokis First Nation, Health Centre, May 2026

“I just did a presentation at the school on Buddy’s Quest. The kids and teachers loved it! Kids are so excited; this is very cool so far.”

Tamara Bell

Child & Youth Strategy Worker, Temagami First Nation, Bear Island, MAY 2026

Safe, Anonymous, Insights

Developed with intention, safety and anonymity at its core, Buddy’s Quest aims to empower Indigenous youth and the organizations that care for them.

Organizations can view anonymized insights about their own youth population, helping them understand community needs and provide more effective, culturally tailored support.

Buddy’s Quest gives nations, agencies, community organizations, educators and schools a powerful tool to better understand and respond to youth mental health challenges.

Through anonymized insights, Buddy’s Quest highlights risks across five key categories, tracks moods, and uncovers areas where support is needed most. This data helps drive education, awareness, and action, enabling organizations to better address the issue and promote life within their communities.

How it works:

Anonymous and Safe:
Download the app, enter the unique access code from your school, nation, or community group, and stay anonymous.

Fun Gameplay:
Explore 87 levels, 3 worlds, and 4 mini-games with Buddy the Bear as your guide.

Reflect & Learn:
Learn about important topics like bullying, kindness, resilience, and healthy choices.

Access Support:
If you’re struggling or just need to talk, youth can connect anonymously with trained Indigenous peer supporters – real people who listen and understand.

Build Trust:
Encourages open, anonymous sharing, so kids feel safe, supported, and never judged.

Accessible for Everyone:
Play anywhere – at home, at school, or on the go – on your phone or tablet.

Insights for Communities: Organizations see anonymous data to better support their youth.

Supporting Youth, Inspired by Youth

It was essential to include the voices of Indigenous youth in shaping this app. We are grateful for the input, ideas, and creativity provided by our Indigenous Youth Focus Group – made up of 16 young adults, aged 8 to 18.

Their insights and experiences played a vital role in developing the Buddy’s Quest app. Here’s what our Indigenous Youth Advisors had to say about being part of the process and why this app matters to them:

“It made me proud that I got to put input into Buddy’s outfit and colours.”
Chanel (Age 15)

“When I heard that there was going to be a kid’s version of Talking Stick, I got excited.”
Zoe (Age 8)

“Other mental health apps make it where you can only talk to people; this is different because you can play games and its optional to talk if you want to.”
Rylin (Age 16)

“This will help kids by having games, like the drumming game. The app seems Indigenous to me.”
Zoe (Age 8)

With a clear picture of the areas where youth are struggling, communities can take action.

Buddy’s Quest gives nations, agencies, community organizations, educators and health resources a powerful tool to better understand and respond to youth mental health challenges.

More than just an app – Buddy the Bear prompts youth to answer short, age-appropriate questions in small doses during gameplay. Backed by science and developed with mental health experts, the game introduces mental health topics and identifies areas where youth may be struggling.

Buddy’s Offer of Support:
If Buddy identifies that a youth may be struggling, he offers a kind, non-judgemental invitation to start an anonymous chat with a trained peer. Youth can choose to chat right away or later – the chat option is always available.

Anonymity and Insights for Communities:
Buddy ensures 100% anonymity, protecting the privacy of youth participants. Insights are only accessible to the organization they belong to, helping them understand mental wellness trends within their own population.

Question Types During Gameplay

Mental Wellness

Helps youth identify challenges and access guidance, education, and peer support.

Self-Reflection

Encourages self-awareness and positivity to help youth connect with who they are.

Culture & Education

Promotes learning, respect, and kindness while strengthening identity, belonging, and pride.

Why it Matters

These questions provide safety, build trust, and empower youth while giving organizations the tools to understand and support their populations meaningfully. Data is never shared, sold, or linked to individuals. Buddy the Bear creates a space where youth feel heard, supported, and empowered to seek support without fear or judgment.

Want to Bring Buddy’s to Your Nation or School?

This tool is designed to be delivered by First Nation communities, schools, and youth-focused organizations that care deeply about the well-being, growth, and future of their children. Through a gamified (gameplay) app experience, children can engage in fun, meaningful learning – while communities gain access to anonymous, aggregated insights that may reveal patterns in learning, engagement, and emotional well-being.

What would you do with this information?
Imagine knowing where your kids are thriving, and where they might need more support.
Contact us to learn more: info@trycycle.ca

Try Buddy’s Quest Today (Limited Access)

Download the Buddy’s Quest app to explore the first few levels of the game. Play and discover what makes Buddy’s Quest unique!

FAQ

Why is the game called Buddy’s Quest?

The choice of a bear and the name Buddy for the game were deeply intentional, grounded in both cultural significance and the values of support and connection.

In many First Nations cultures, the bear holds powerful symbolic meaning. It is often seen as a protector, a healer, and a guide. The bear embodies strength, courage, and introspection—qualities that align with the journey of self-discovery, resilience, and healing that Buddy’s Quest encourages.
The word “buddy” was chosen to emphasize the feeling of having a friend by your side. It reflects the concept of a buddy system, a practice rooted in safety, trust, and mutual care. Buddy the Bear was designed to help youth feel less alone as they navigate tough topics and build resilience.

Who developed Buddy’s Quest?

The Buddy’s Quest app was developed by TryCycle Data Systems in collaboration with Indigenous youth, Indigenous health professionals, cultural advisors, and clinical experts in child and adolescent psychiatry. Their collaboration ensured that the development of Buddy’s Quest was safe, culturally relevant, supportive, and grounded in both lived experiences and professional knowledge.

What does "backed by science" mean?

This means that Buddy the Bear was developed in collaboration with clinical experts and mental health professionals. Their expertise shaped the questions and processes, ensuring they are safe, thoughtful, and designed to support youth effectively. This includes:

Evidence-Based Practices: The questions and methods were informed by established screening measures and clinically validated tools in mental health and wellness.
Expert Input: Clinical experts, child and adolescent psychiatrists, and other mental health were involved in reviewing and contributing to the design of the questions and scoring system.
Data-Driven Processes: The embedded risk screening and scoring system was developed using scientific frameworks to identify potential struggles without bias or judgment.

Who owns the data?

All data collected through Buddy the Bear belongs to the organization or community using the platform, ensuring that it remains under their control. We (TryCycle) maintain strict adherence and alignment with the principles of Indigenous data sovereignty, respecting the rights of Indigenous communities to own, manage, and control their data.

Our commitments:

We Do Not Own the Data: Any data collected through the Buddy’s Quest app belongs to the communities and organizations. The app developer, TryCycle Data Systems, does not own the data but has limited access to ensure the platform functions properly, monitor performance, resolve issues, and assist with analytics.
We Will Never Share or Sell Data: Your data will never be shared, sold, or used for any purpose outside of what has been explicitly agreed upon. Anonymized data is strictly used to support the goals of the organizations we serve.
Anonymized and Secure: All data is anonymized, ensuring no individual can be identified. This protects the privacy of users while still providing meaningful insights to organizations.
Aligned with Indigenous Data Sovereignty: We honour the principles of Indigenous Data Sovereignty, respecting the ownership, governance, and self-determination of the data. Communities decide how their data is used to benefit their people.

How do you ensure that kids are safe? What happens if someone shares something concerning during a chat?

During every one-on-one chat with a peer, anonymity is guaranteed. Trained peer support resources are there to listen and support but do not collect personal information or intervene. If you’re in immediate danger or need urgent help, you’re encouraged to reach out to trusted adults or local crisis resources directly.

Is there a duty to report?

No. All interactions within Buddy’s Quest, including responses to questions and peer support chats, are completely anonymous. Since no identifying information is collected, the platform cannot link responses to specific individuals, ensuring privacy and safety for youth participants.

Why doesn’t Buddy the Bear report concerning behaviour or risks?

The platform is designed to be a safe, judgment-free space where youth can share openly without fear of being identified or judged. By keeping interactions anonymous, Buddy the Bear protects privacy while encouraging engagement. Organizations using the platform receive only aggregated insights to better understand community needs, not individual data.

How much does it cost to use Buddy’s Quest?

We offer standard pricing, which means we have a consistent, predefined cost structure for the software licensing and support package. This ensures transparency and fairness across all organizations. Additional costs may apply only for custom features or services beyond the standard package. Pricing details are available upon request. For more information, send us an email to info@trycycle.ca.