Amazon Alexa Australia, TalkVia partner for Make-A-Wish app

Make-A-Wish Australia has developed a way for the community to grant wishes to children with critical illnesses by using their smart speaker devices. The new Make-A-Wish voice app allows users to find out about the organisation, the work they do, and hear inspiring stories from Wish families. Users are able to donate, receive information about the organisation, or sign up to a monthly newsletter, through a simple conversation with their device. The Make-A-Wish voice app was developed in partnership with Australian conversational AI experts TalkVia and in collaboration with Amazon Alexa Australia.

Make-A-Wish CEO Sally Bateman said the voice app was developed to bring supporters closer to the wishes that they make happen. Bateman added that there are currently more than 800 seriously ill children patiently counting down the days until their wish is possible, due to the impacts of COVID-19. With no government funding, Make-A-Wish relies on the generosity and support of the community to make these wishes happen.

“We’re delighted to be able to connect with them in such an innovative and convenient way. We hope by sharing these incredible stories from our children and families, we can create awareness about Make-A-Wish, and most importantly show the wide-ranging impact these wishes have in the community,” Bateman said.

TalkVia’s Head of Innovation, Guy Munro, said the company’s roots are in accessibility, adding that being able to help children and families in such a challenging time is something the company is passionate about. “Our whole team has helped shape this project and we’re thrilled to bring this to life with the Make-A-Wish and Alexa teams,” Munro said.

Wishes can range from a new cubby house to meeting Mickey Mouse, going on a dinosaur adventure or a trip to the snow. Each child goes on a carefully crafted journey, designed to increase resilience through positivity and hope. The voice app can be accessed through Google Assistant enabled devices, like Google Home and Google Nest.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/shara