A World We Dare to Imagine Part 3 - Partner in Crime

Sarah Shaw

Organization: Partner in Crime

Mission

Our mission is to provide individuals from all backgrounds mental health resources curated by experts and connect people around the world using technology in order for people to share perspectives and destigmatize mental health.

Why am I passionate about this?

Growing up in Silicon Valley, I was privy to the intense pressure that adults in the fast-paced technology environment suffered in addition to the stress incurred by many kids my age who were expected to live up to near impossible standards of success. This hyper stressed environment meant there was a staggeringly high population of individuals who suffered from clinical anxiety and depression that had few resources to turn to. Tragically, this led to several suicides both at my high school and the schools close to me, so this topic is close to my heart. 

I was lucky enough to go on a summer exchange to Spain before my senior year of high school, which is where I first learned that the pressure cooker like environment of my home was atypical. The Spanish are famously relaxed and sociable people, which was the very opposite of what I experienced back home. I identified that a primary cause for the toxic environment of Silicon Valley in addition to other cities particularly in the United States is that people are isolated and unable to see beyond their condition, which is where the idea of Partner in Crime was born.

What makes Partner in Crime unique?

Partner in Crime will partner with experts in the psychology field in order to develop comprehensive mental health resources through an online platform in addition to one-on-one phone and Skype calls for those that require individual counseling and an emergency hotline for those contemplating dangerous actions. The online resources will be kept up to date with he latest research in the field of  psychology and will include both coping mechanisms for those suffering as well as support tools for friends of sufferers.

The other component of Partner in Crime will be to connect people from around the world to share their experiences and talk candidly about problems that they are facing on a forum-type platform. This will both open individuals up to different perspectives in addition to allowing people to feel accepted and not so lonely in their problems.

Why should AMDP support us?

Anima Mundi Development Partners works with firms that follow the triple bottom line in which performance evaluations are conducted based on people, planet, and profit. Partner in Crime will address the people component of the triple bottom line by improving their quality of life through access to mental health resources. Next, it will address the planet by connecting people from around the world in order to make the world a friendlier and more open-minded place. Also, by virtue of this connection people will understand the importance of their place on Earth and will thereby take better care of it. As far as profit goes, Partner in Crime will not necessarily seek profit in the monetary sense but rather in the mitigation of mental health problems and the healthier lives people will live as a result of its initiatives.