Member Article

Meet the South London entrepreneur who is building an online community for parents

A new online and offline community providing support and advice for parents has been launched this week after its founder, Yuliana Topazly, was inspired to create the site after being diagnosed with post-natal depression.

The South London entrepreneur’s BuddyWith aims to bring together parents with similar families and circumstances, for example those with twins or new parents, to share experiences and connect with people both locally and around the country.

Offering expert guidance and advice, the site will also give parents looking for some downtime from parental duties the opportunity to meet up with other people.

Inspiration for the site came about after Topazly’s post-natal depression, which arose after the birth of her daughter, left her feeling guilty and desiring a means to engage with other women.

The entrepreneur, who also runs the London-based social enterprise, My OutSpace Business Centre, believes the stress and strain that comes with a newborn child is a common factor that is not currently well dealt with.

She commented: “88 per cent of working parents suffer stress-related health problems and 43% struggle with depression; 1 in 10 women develop mental health illness during pregnancy or within the first year after having a baby - and something needs to be done. That’s why I developed BuddyWith.”

Topazly outlines that where her site differs from current support and guidance from health practitioners and organisations is that it allows women to reach out for guidance, rather than having to rely on a neverending stream of pamphlets and referrals.

As a facilitated peer-to-peer support network, BuddyWith is hoping to fill a yawning gap currently left open by current health and social care approaches by giving new parents a sense of community and putting them in touch with a network going through the same things they are.

“The struggle of being a new mum is a universal story and it isn’t one that should be fought alone,” adds Topazly.