Six Nations of the Grand River elected council has unveiled a new mobile app in what elected Chief Mark Hill said will be a “game-changer” in how information is sent to community members, especially in the event of an emergency.
With the app, you can get notifications on your phone or tablet anytime an event or news release is posted to the app, and you can even add events to your calendar.
The app works with Android and Apple devices, such as phones or tablets, but not personal computers or laptops.
The app can be found on the Google Play or Apple store by typing in Six Nations of the Grand River.
SNGR said the app is intended to distribute news, events, documents, resources, forms, and emergency alerts to members to increase access for those who live outside the community to services while increasing efficiency in communications.
The app was developed on a platform called Communikit, which helps Indigenous nations and organizations launch apps to communicate with their members, no matter where they are in the world.
“As the largest nation in Canada, making sure we are reaching all of our members with our communications is extremely important and vital; being able to send mass notifications, especially in an emergency, will be a major game-changer in how fast we can communicate with our community,” said Elected Chief Hill.
Once you download the app from Google Play or the Apple Store, an icon using the SNGR logo will appear on your phone.
Users can create an account using their email and a unique user name.
The app’s home screen has tabs for news, events, documents, jobs and forms. You can also look up information by searching popular “tags” such as social services and health services department, among others.
The events listed have a feature where if you click on the event, there is an “add to calendar” button. Pressing it will automatically add the event to your phone’s calendar.
There is also a contact page where users can send messages directly to the organization with any questions or concerns community members may have.
Also, if users enable notifications on their phone’s settings, they can get instant notifications to their phone anytime an event or news item is added.
“Our communications department is mandated to keep SNGR members up to date on band issues and to inform community members about the services, programs and events SNGR departments have to offer,” said Chief Executive Officer, Darrin Jamieson. “Having an additional tool to fulfill that mission that can reach out to our members quickly through notifications, right to their phones and other mobile devices will make all of our communications more effective.”
Communikit is the first mobile app platform focused on Indigenous communications. Created by Aivia Inc. (pronounced AY-vee-yuh), Communikit gives Indigenous leaders and organizations the ability to communicate with their members at any time, no matter where they are. Communikit currently serves over 23,000 users spanning 94 communities.
