It’s called the Woo Woo Network and it’s like Airbnb for naturopaths and acupuncturists.
That’s how two Camosun College computer-science students describe the booking platform they created to connect clients with alternative-health services.
Seamus O’Leary and Karnveer Mall were part of a group of students displaying their “capstone” projects this week at Fort Tectoria, a tech hub in downtown Victoria. It’s the finale of their two-year diploma program and a test of their ability to apply what they have learned to real-world challenges.
O’Leary said he and Mall wanted to create an “Airbnb-like” booking experience for people seeking naturopathic doctors, acupuncturists, meditation experts, yoga instructors and others in alternative health.
“So one of the big things is we have a page where you can find healers close to you, and it shows where everyone is,” he said. “It’s something where it’s not location specific, it’s not one specific business. Anyone could come in and sign up.”
The platform has been progressing over several years with other student teams, O’Leary said.
The original idea came from Kimberlee Klein, who works with people who have been through pregnancy loss by focusing on spiritual healing and personal growth. She envisions a platform that can help healers in various disciplines to build sustainable businesses while promoting the benefits of holistic health.
One of O’Leary’s and Mall’s key aims for the platform is working toward a “centralized” review system where people can see how the service providers are rated by others, O’Leary said.
Having it in one location rather than on scattered sites will be helpful to users, he said.
Also featured at the capstone event was a dance-studio management system created by students calling themselves Team Khoreia — “khoreia” is the name of an ancient Greek circle dance.
The project was put forward by Raino Dance, said student Ryan Kim.
The goal of the platform is to produce administrative software that can be used for office tasks and also for things like organizing classes, he said. Kim said the project includes a function to allow students to log in themselves to register for classes or set up their memberships.
The platform isn’t just for dance, he said.
“They can use any type of business that offers classes or events to people,” he said. “The main thing is to have a system that makes people’s lives easier.”
Kim said the platform was created from scratch by him, Seree Samutchaikit and Wyatt Lane.
Instructor Ben Leather said the ideas for the student projects come from people outside the college. As they come in, they’re given to student groups.
Computer-science department chair Saryta Schaerer said the projects not only showcase the students’ technical abilities “but also their capacity to innovate and solve complex challenges.”
