Glo App

Introducing GLO, a new mobile-based app presented by It Gets Better Canada that features an evidence-based curriculum developed by our very own PI
Dr. Shelley Craig.

About GLO

Taking a gamified approach, GLO pairs users with their very own virtual pet to nurture and grow, as they are guided through educational journeys covering topics such as “recognizing stress”, “identifying AI”, “combating cyberbullying” and more. The content for GLO is a carefully curated integration of emerging and established research, connecting media and technology research with the latest innovations in mental health support for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth. Taking a youth-led approach, the curriculum modules were shared with 2SLGBTQI+ youth content creators to make their own as they adopted a community-engaged and collaborative creative process to finalize GLO’s content. 

Download on the Apple App Store
Get It On Google Play

“Not only is GLO evidence-based, but it embodies queer joy, hope, and resilience in a way that I am confident will impact the mental health of our Canadian 2SLGBTQIA+ youth at a time when they are under significant threat.”

Dr. Shelley Craig

Behind the Development of Glo

"The development of the GLO curriculum was an intensive and intentional process drawing on emerging research on 2SLGBTQI+ youth mental health and technology use, my history of practice with queer youth, youth wisdom, best practices in curriculum design and youth gamification of learning.

We first identified key themes and subthemes from the research, and I created an adaptable Miro Board to flexibly elicit feedback on the emerging modules. I generated our overall app key vibes (e.g., affirm, inspire, unique) and key anchors for each theme (eg the 4 R’s, including recognize and reflect). The vibes were matched by the overall joyful and expressive aesthetic created by LG2 and were personified in the GLO creatures that youth can nurture as part of their journey. Once we had a consensus, I created a very detailed curriculum for each module that integrated the feedback and all relevant research and practice.”

- Dr. Shelley Craig

Each module follows the same structure:

  1. The overall objective for the theme (and goals for each subtheme)

  2. Relevant background (e.g., types of coping or queer youth stress profiles)

  3. Suggested content delivery (e.g., video or quiz)

  4. A list of prompts for the youth content creators to consider to encapsulate the objectives

  5. A Call to Action

  6. Youth Outcomes (e.g., what they will be able to know or do when the module is complete)

  7. Reference List

Exploring the Glo Curriculum

  • Managing Stress

    At the end of this module, participants will be able to recognize their own stressors, where they come from, and how they impact them in an empowering rather than an overwhelming way.

  • Online Hate & Hostility

    At the end of this module, participants will be able to recognize online hate and cyberbullying. They will also learn how they can protect themselves physically and psychologically in online spaces.

  • Misinformation

    At the end of this module, participants will be able to recognize misinformation about 2SLGBTQI+ identities and how to check and critically evaluate what they encounter to feel more empowered to navigate online.

  • Coping

    At the end of this module, participants will be better able to recognize their coping strategies/profiles, including recognizing what they are already doing and simple strategies they could implement right away.

  • Artificial Intelligence

    At the end of this module, participants will be able to better recognize specific AI content to reduce misinformation. We want participants to be able to recognize and pinpoint specific ways that AI can both help and harm them, especially when it comes to our well-being or mental health. Ultimately, we want participants to feel more in control of AI use.

  • Online Advocacy

    At the end of this module, participants will be able to strategically engage in online advocacy while protecting their own mental health. We focus on intentionality with these efforts, rather than just responding, as that can drain your energy. In later sections, we discuss ways to protect yourself from advocacy burnout, smart navigation, and joy as resistance.

  • Communication

    At the end of this module, participants will be able to recognize their unique communication patterns, styles, and needs. We describe types of communication (e.g., passive vs active) and differences in communication in-person (offline) versus online (social media, text). This section also discusses how to address being misgendered and receiving negative messages.

Presented by It Gets Better Canada
For more information about the app, please visit itgetsbettercanada.org/glo-app or see the press release.