Every year on September 19th, Youth Mental Health Day is marked as a day for young people and the adults around them to speak openly on topics around mental health and wellbeing. The theme for this year is #ControlYourScroll, which is based around helping young people navigate the online world in a way that is kind to their mental health.
Stem4, the digital mental health app that supports teenagers with mental wellbeing, leads this day each year and, according to one survey they carried out, [1]97% of 12–21-year-olds reported using social media daily, clocking up an average of 3.65 hours per day or an entire 55 days online per year. Our young people are growing up in a fast-moving, digital age where their online relationships are as impactful as their offline relationships, so it’s important that we acknowledge this and aim to help them use the internet wisely. Many of us are already aware of some of the pressures and worries that can arise from young people spending so much of their lives online, but what if we help them to rewrite the narrative and use their time online for the good?
Currently, many young people say that the internet is a place that makes them worry about their safety, the content they are accessing and the online relationships they have. It is a place where people can say things to each other anonymously and where anything can be accessed at the click of a button. All of this can cause huge anxieties in teenagers who are looking for affirmation, identity and belonging in an online world that is not always kind. As many educators may already know, [2]1 in 5 young people have a probable mental health disorder today., which may or may not have a correlation with online accessibility. But with the right skills and knowing when to take a break, young people can remain in control of their online interactions and maintain healthier mental wellbeing.
Learning how to do these things is part of a much bigger picture I believe, which is why RSE is so important for helping young people examine their own values around all kinds of relationships both online and offline. Most of the values they learn about the friendships and relationships around them in real life, can also be applied to the ones they make online. Having the ability to critically examine and question what they view, as well as how to treat themselves and others with kindness and respect, are skills that underpin the entire RSE curriculum. When young people are aware of their own values and how to protect their self-esteem, they are better able to apply this to content they see online and whether they choose to engage and follow certain trends or not.
Our Esteem Network Director has recently released some new materials called Phones and Friends, (available for Esteem members via the website portal) aimed at helping young people with some of these skills. Many of the young people we work with say they like using technology and that it helps them connect with people, so the new lesson plan focuses on positive ways people can use phones to give them a voice or to impact their community in a beneficial way. One of the activities encourages young people to think about how Artificial Intelligence can be used as a mirror to hold up against their own community to consider what the world should look like. By teaching young people a set of skills around how to be respectful online, support others, resolve conflict, speak up against injustice or bullying and to report harmful behaviours, they can then start to take ownership for having more positive friendships and better mental wellbeing.
We also know that good mental health starts at an early age. According to OFCOM, [3]a quarter of 5-7 years olds have mobile phones and [4]half are accessing the internet from tablets from the age of three. This is a pattern that is unlikely to reverse anytime soon, so we need to be front footed in our approach as educators. It is essential that children learn early on about what information is safe to share, who to accept as friends and why there are age limits for some apps. This can all be learned from Early Years Foundation Stage upwards, so that children are able to enjoy using the internet safely and are not just told to be afraid of it, as is so often the case by adults who are worried about the negative aspects.
As part of the health education aspect of primary Relationships and Health Education, children can also be taught about the importance of taking breaks and enjoying time spent outside with friends as well as engaging in online activities. Later in this academic year, we will be releasing primary materials that are aimed at teaching younger students, ways they can stay safe, spot fake news, choose to be cyber superheroes and have healthier friendships with their peers. We know that [5]Gen A children, born after 2010, are a ‘digital native’ generation who have grown up surrounded by technology and are very socially aware, wanting to engage with and challenge what they see online. They are more aware of mental health issues and, as a way of encouraging them to speak up about their feelings, we can support this new generation by understanding the importance of their digital interactions.
As Relationships and Sex education educators, we can aim to teach young people to appreciate the positive aspects of internet usage, such as connecting with others, learning what is happening in other parts of the world, relaxing and taking their minds off school pressures, or inspiring them to make or create new things. If we harness these skills, we could see the mental health of this generation of young people greatly improve in the years to come. Rather than young people having their lives directed by algorithms, we can work with them to break through the echo chambers and choose to take control of what their online world looks like. #stem4YMHD #ControlYourScroll
If you’d like to know more about ways to engage with young people in doing this, contact rachel@acet-uk.com or info@acet-uk.com
[1] stem4_YMHD_2024_Social_media_pack.pdf
[2] NHS Digital
[3] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-68838029 OFCOM report cited
[4] Half of three- and four-year-olds use a tablet | early years alliance (eyalliance.org.uk)
[5] Understanding Gen Alpha: Stats, Trends & Insights for 2024 (britopian.com)