Social media with a difference

Teenagers Joey Russ and Matt Malone joined forces last year to set up the website that offers students the chance to use social media and a variety of educational tools to help them during school, college, and university.

Joey, 19, and Matt, 18, both former pupils at Redborne Upper School in Ampthill, are now pitching the website to schools and universities up and down the country.

The website is currently run from an office in Maulden, after the duo received investment from one of Joey’s family members.

Joey said: “I had an idea about two years ago when I was studying for my A-levels. Social networking was becoming a bit of a distraction, so I came up with the idea of trying to combine the two.

“I asked Matt if he wanted to help out because he is very good at computers, and it has just taken off from there. We have done so much in the last year, we now have our own office and we have done so much with the website.”

Student Junction has a social network, very similar to Facebook, where you can upload photos and videos, update your status, and interact with other users.

And unlike any other social networking site it inlcudes a number of features to help with studying and all aspects of student life, including an online library, cookbooks, personal planner, blogs, forums and discussions.

There is a jobs manager feature where students can upload their CVs and employers can list job vacancies.

And there is also a document collaboration tool that enables students working on a joint project to write into the same document.

Matt, who lives in Flitwick, added: “At the moment the website isn’t really making any money, so we are going into schools and universities to pitch the idea.

“Schools see social media as a distraction and the sites are banned in most schools, but if we can get them on side then we will be onto a good thing. Most of the schools we go into are suportive, sot hat’s really good.

“One we increase our users, then we will be able to secure big advertising deals, and that’s where the momey will come in.”

The pair are also looking for more potential investors in the business. You can call them on 01525 860780.

To see the website go to www.student-junction.com