ABOUT CHIRPY PLUS
Chirpy Plus was created to help people connect.
Launched in 2018 by mother-and-son duo Carol and Shaun Mahoney, Chirpy’s mission is to eliminate loneliness and social isolation in people aged 55 and over, by providing them with a safe and easy way to find new friends.
Carol has spent her entire working life in the technology and IT fields – in fact, she was New Zealand’s first female CTO. Now in her 70’s, Carol is very aware of the social challenges facing mature New Zealanders like herself and her friends.
Shaun’s background includes a string of notable achievements, from skippering a yacht at age 16, to winning numerous awards in the US financial services industry, to publishing two books in Australia. A serious injury resulted in Shaun spending much of 2014 in and out of hospital, where the lack of social interaction had a profound effect on him.
Together, Carol and Shaun realised that what they were experiencing was all too common. Up to half of New Zealanders and Australians say they have feelings of disconnection and loneliness. But they also knew they had the passion and skills to do something about it - their solution: an online community where people could use technology to make real, human friendships. Chirpy Plus was born.
Today, Chirpy Plus has thousands of members throughout New Zealand and Australia who enjoy the ability to connect with like-minded people in a safe, moderated environment. Chirpy has a network of volunteer hosts who arrange regular CatchUps: brunches, walks, movie nights, factory tours, afternoons at the races, and more!
In the last couple of years, the small, dedicated team at Chirpy has been hard at work creating new ways for members to connect, and have added fun things like video messaging, virtual penpals, and online Bingo. Carol and Shaun are always looking for new ways to make Chirpy bigger and better, with plans to add even more exciting features in the future.
Would you like to know more about Chirpy Plus? Check out these articles and videos!
In The Media
Qantas Magazine - December 2019
Carol and Shaun Mahoney were featured in the December edition of Qantas Magazine.
"Loneliness is the unspoken epidemic across the globe and the health and social implications are huge. Our focus is to make a positive difference in the lives of others and the response from our members makes it clear that we’re on the right track"!
Today Extra on Channel 9 - November 2019
Carol Mahoney and Shaun Mahoney spoke to Today Extra about Chirpy Plus.
Heroines: Women in Tech - November 2019
You can listen to Carol being interviewed here about her journey as a woman working in Tech and how she started Chirpy: http://heroines.libsyn.com/carol-mahoney-chirpy-plus
The AM Show - February 2019
Carol Mahoney and Shaun Mahoney spoke to The AM Show about Chirpy Plus.
CIO Magazine - November 2018
One of NZ’s first female CIOs is now a startup founder at age 69.
Carol Mahoney smiles when she meets with potential business partners and members for the startup she co-founded with her son, Shaun.
“They always assume he is the technology person,” says Carol, who just turned 69.
The reality is Mahoney is the CTO of Chirpy Plus, and her son, a finance executive, is in charge of marketing.
Genesis partners with Chirpy - 27th Feb 2019
Genesis has partnered with Chirpyplus – Australasia’s newest online community for over 55’s - to provide its New Zealand members with access to energy.
The Chirpy Plus Team
Shaun and Carol
Claire
Darryn
Desiree
Ian
James
Kiri
Laura
Philip
