Questions & Answers

A. Basic Functions

1. Posts can be rated with a “thumbs up” in various sections.
2. Posts can be commented on freely.
3. The author of a post can be contacted anonymously through a chat function for face-to-face communication.

B. Menu Sections:

“Public Area”

Every user can publish their own posts in the form of questions to the community or other general interest information.

People experiencing depression should feel understood in a community of affected individuals and be able to seek emotional support or have conversations whenever needed.

“Groups & Communication”

Protected interest-based groups can be formed, allowing members to communicate and post anonymously.

“Help & Activities”

Besides professional help, individuals with depression may also need assistance with daily activities.

Users who are currently experiencing a phase of depression or have successfully overcome such an illness can support each other in the spirit of self-help.

“Experiences & Testimonials”

Each user can write and publish their own experiences and testimonials under relevant topics.

“Specialized Services & Contact Points”

Every user has direct access to specialized services or contact points. The contact information is provided in the posts.

Each specialized service or contact point is also a user of upway and can register as such through the web app.

“Info Center”

The Info Center contains posts on various topics related to mental health.

Additionally, lists of relevant books, audiobooks, and videos can be found.

“Events” (not yet implemented)

Anyone can publish their public events such as exhibitions, seminars, courses, public actions, etc.

“Emergency Numbers”

Access to general emergency numbers in the country, for example: Tel 143 for Dargebotene Hand or Tel 147 for Pro Juventute.

“Profile”

• • Access to account details.
  • Option to register as a specialized service.
  • Ability to change the password.
  • Subscription status.
  • Language settings.
    

You are not alone! You can find immediate assistance and all kinds of activities within the upway community, and also offer help and activities yourself.

You can join an existing group that deals with the same situation as you do thematically.

You can create self-help or other groups as a moderator and invite members to join your group. Within these groups, you can chat and post among yourselves.

You have “Info Center” access to various information such as listings of doctors, psychologists, clinics, therapists, peers, etc. The directories are not exhaustive, but they are continuously supplemented and updated.

1. After founding the group, you have the authority to determine which upway member can join your group. Before accepting a member, you have the opportunity to establish direct contact with the person to determine if they are a suitable fit for your group or not.

    

2. You serve as the motivator of your group and are responsible for organizing regular group activities. Be understanding and supportive, but also step in if a negative mood arises.

    

3. You are the primary point of contact for organizational matters concerning the members within your group.

    

4. You can engage in discussions with other group moderators in the “Moderators” section, exchanging experiences and insights.

YES…..You are not alone!

Professional Help
In the main menu, there are 2 buttons for 24-hour immediate assistance.

Tel. 143 – “Die dargebotene Hand” (for adults)

Tel. 147 – “ProJuventute” (for teenagers)

Help from the upway Community
In the “Help & Activities” menu, check if someone has offered help that matches your needs (“I offer help”) or post a request and describe your concern under “I need help”.

Specialist Agencies

Every doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist, etc., can specify the times they are available for upway users in the description of their services. You can also directly contact specialized services or crisis centers using the provided contact information.

From your own experiences, you know how a person with depression or burnout feels, thinks, and what they need promptly to cope with their daily life.

Seek contact with your colleagues and try to find out how you can help them.

Post positively about experiences you’ve had and show how you’ve made progress.

In the chat, behave as if you were looking into the person’s eyes and try to understand their needs.

Remember that the purpose of the upway network is to provide mutual assistance. People currently affected should be able to relieve as much “pressure” as possible in conversation with you.

As a “Specialist Agency,” you can fill out the form in your “App Profile.” Upway will review, accept, or reject the registration and listing.

Your services will be listed in the relevant category on the app.

Every app user can directly get in touch with the specialized service or contact point.

In addition to the app usage fees, specialized services and contact points are subject to an annual fee based on the type and coverage area of the provider, according to the following tariffs:

a) Specialist Agency:

• Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Therapists, General Practitioners, and other individual providers
  CHF 50.00/year, including 10 usage codes for 1 month in the 1st year (equivalent code sponsorship CHF 50.00)
• Group practices
  CHF 200.00/year, including 20 usage codes for 1 month in the 1st year (equivalent code sponsorship CHF 100.00)
• Psychiatric clinics and other institutions
  CHF 500/year, including 50 usage codes for 1 month in the 1st year (equivalent code sponsorship CHF 250.00).

b) Counseling Centers (Municipalities, Cities, NPOs, etc.): CHF 80-150/year 

• Small NPO, up to 10,000 inhabitants
  CHF 80.00/year, including 10 usage codes for 1 month in the 1st year
• Medium, up to 100’000 inhabitants
  CHF 100.00/year, including 10 usage codes for 1 month in the 1st year
• Large, > 100’000 inhabitants
  CHF 150.00/year, including 20 usage codes for 1 month in the 1st year.

1. A Specialist Agency can establish itself in its field as “upway-SEO” (Socially Engaged Organization), which counters a globally increasing socioeconomic burden *) and makes a significant contribution to reducing healthcare costs **).
2. Upway operates as a non-profit organization! Despite not having obtained official “NPO status” (Non-Profit Organization) from the Swiss tax authorities, the financial resources are exclusively allocated to cover operational expenses, platform development, and charitable support to financially vulnerable individuals and organizations (as per the statutes). Therefore, each registered specialized and support center provides a charitable service for the benefit of society.

*) Addressing the prolonged absence of employees due to mental illness, lasting for months or even years.

**) If the use of the app can spare just one affected individual from a relapse, healthcare costs in the range of CHF 50,000 to 150,000 can be saved!

Form your support group on upway!
Every registered user can join an existing support group under a specific “Category” or create their own group. All members of an existing support group can connect on upway within their private, closed group and continue discussing relevant topics beyond physical meetings.

Posting Contributions
All publications (posts) are visible only to registered members within your group. You can actively participate in any discussion by commenting on published posts.

Communicate
You can initiate anonymous chats with any member of the group.

CAUTION! … Ensure Anonymity!
Be mindful not to reveal your or your colleagues’ real names in posts or publish pictures of group members, as this could compromise anonymity within the group. (Refer to upway’s Terms and Conditions – AGB)

Everyone affected chooses the topic that resonates with them and registers for a support group in their region or starts their own group. This ensures that each group member is facing the same life situation and can understand each other.

The clear topic specification makes it easier for members to find their place in a group.

As a standard practice, topics are listed that correspond to specific depression conditions, life situations, or professions.

It is a concern of upway to provide a communication platform for the relatives of affected individuals as well.

Yes, a new topic can be requested through the app.

Under “Groups & Communication,” you will find the category “Can’t find yourself in a category?” with the group “I can’t find my topic.” Write in a post what you are missing. The upway team will take care of it.

Every institution, company, or association can make a valuable contribution to promoting the mental health of its employees, clients, or members. – How?

The upway concept offers the following possibilities:

• Addressing the organization’s social commitment to “Mental Health within the Organization”
  => Presentation about the upway concept?
• Providing free access to the upway app for all members of the organization.
  => Purchase of “App usage codes.”
• Creating closed “Discussion Groups” within the upway app.
  => Encouraging active usage of the app on a secure, independent platform.
• Exchanging experiences with other organizations within an upway discussion group.
  => Every user on the upway platform can create and moderate a discussion group.
• Every registered “Specialized and Support Center” can publish in the “Event Calendar’ Section” its public events, lectures, presentations, exhibitions, seminars, courses, etc., for free in the “Event Calendar” section. (To be implemented by the end of 2023)
• Commitment to Consider the Mental Health of Employees, Seekers, or Members of the Organization
  => Every Organization/Individual Identifying with the upway Concept Can be Listed as an “Ideological Supporter” on www.upwayapp.com
• Financial Support for upway
  => Donations/Purchase of “App Usage Codes” that can be provided free of charge to financially disadvantaged individuals. These sponsored “codes” will be managed and distributed by upway in a ‘Code Pool’