Band App
Setup
We have decided to use a new way of communicating as a church youth group. We want to make sure that how we communicate is safe, secure and accessible whether a young person has a smart phone or not. For quite a few years we have used WhatsApp for a group chat, however WhatsApp does not hide numbers and people can be messaged outside of the group simply by someone accessing a number from the group and adding it as a contact. We have also found that some young people do not have a smart phone and so are unable to access the group chat. After around 2 years of research, testing and trying out different things we have found an app which we think does everything we want and more. The app is called Band and there are two versions. One app for those who are 13+ years of age and one for those below 13 years of age. The under 13s can also access their account using a web browser on a tabler or desktop/laptop computer, meaning that Band is far more accessible. We have set the group up so that they cannot send 1-2-1 direct messages to anyone within the group, but will be able to join in conversation as part of different group chats that the youth leaders set up and monitor. We will use these groups particuarly for our youth small groups so that they can share prayer requests, things to celebrate and general community conversation inbetween their in person small group meets.
Because Band does not require mobile numbers it means that the young people's data is kept safe and people cannot message them seperately outside of the app by taking their number and using it without permission.
There is also a way of making the app even safer by putting in a supervision code that we provide, the supervision code means that there is no way for the user to search for other groups set up and listed on the app.
Please use the instructions below to download, install and set up the Band App on your young person's device or on a web browser.
Set up 13+ app on a smartphone
1. Open your app store and search for Band app. It looks like this.
2. Select to install the app.
3. Once installed, open the app and follow the instructions to put in the requested information.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO PUT A PHONE NUMBER IN EVEN THOUGH IT ASKS FOR IT!
4. Once you have got an account and you're logged in click the link from WhatsApp or Email.
5. Follow the instructions on screen. The request to join the group will need to be approved by the team before the group can be accessed.
6. Once you have access to the group it is time to set up supervision.
7. Click on the person icon on the home screen of the app (the first page after the app has opened).
8. Click on 'Settings'
9. Scroll down to 'Set up supervision'
10. Click on 'Add supervision'
11. You should now have a place to put a code in. You will need to get this code from Lucy. Once the code has been put in the search feature on the app will dissapear meaning your young person cannot search for other groups to join.
Watch the video below for visual instructions.
Set up under 13 account on a web browser.
1. Open a web browser on a desktop/laptop/tablet and put in the address https://www.band.us/home
2. Click on 'Sign up'
3. Click on the tab 'Band for Kids'
4. click 'Sign up with email'
5. Follow the instructions on screen to put in an email, select a password, a display name (does not need to be a full name) and your young person date of birth. Click 'Ok'
6. You will need to open your email and put the code sent to your email in to box on the website.
7. Once you have moved to the next page you will need to keep the web page open and either - open a new tab and paste in the group link (from WhatsApp or email sent by Lucy), or with the band web page still open and your young person still logged in, simply click the link in WhatsApp or email, just make sure you're clicking on the link on the same device as you have the Band web browser open on.
8. Once the request to join comes up, follow the instructions. Once the request to join has been approved the account is ready to go.
9. Your young person can simply log in using any device at home (with permission of course), simply put in https://www.band.uk/home into a web brower OR you can download the Band Kids app on to their smart phone or on to a tablet, just log in using the same email and password that you used to create the account.
You should not need to add a code to activate supervision restrictions as the Band Kids app is set to be extra safe.
Watch the video below for visual instructions.
If you need any help with setting up an account, joining the group, setting up supervision or anything else to do with using the Band app, please contact Lucy.