Digital Wellbeing for Youth
Overview
As the world continues to become increasingly more digital, it can be hard to navigate the opportunities and challenges of being online. This is especially true for children and teens who use social media and online entertainment more than any other previous generation. This collection was designed to help explore the impact of social media on youth mental health, how to talk to young people about staying safe online, and support for engaging in honest, open dialogues about the risks and benefits of social media.
Courses
Introduction to Digital Citizenship for K-5 Educators
Join Common Sense Education and the UCLA Prevention Center of Excellence for this 30-minute interactive workshop as we explore activities to support educators who are helping K-5 students navigate the challenges and opportunities of the digital world. We'll highlight lessons that focus on self-management, responsible decision-making, relationship skills, and digital wellbeing. You'll leave with resources to help you lead meaningful conversations with students and parents about working through the challenges that come with living in an ever-connected world.
Introduction to Digital Citizenship for Middle and High School Educators
Join Common Sense Education and the UCLA Prevention Center of Excellence for this 30-minute interactive workshop as we explore activities to support educators who are helping middle and high school students navigate the challenges and opportunities of the digital world. We'll highlight lessons that focus on self-management, responsible decision-making, relationship skills, and digital wellbeing. You'll leave with resources to help you lead meaningful conversations with students and parents about working through the challenges that come with living in an ever-connected world.
Introduction to Digital Citizenship for School Administrators
Join Common Sense Education and the UCLA Prevention Center of Excellence for this 30-minute interactive workshop as we explore activities to support administrators who are navigating the challenges and opportunities of the digital world. We'll discuss how to implement school programming focused on self-management, responsible decision-making, relationship skills, and digital wellbeing. You'll leave with resources to help you lead meaningful conversations with students, parents, and educators about working through the challenges that come with living in an ever-connected world.
Printable Tools
A Social Media Risk Assessment for Youth and How to Use It
Concerned about how frequently young people are online or what they are doing while on social media? Use this Risk Assessment to help with open, honest dialogue about social media use and the potential risks.
Helpful or Harmful? Social Media and Youth Mental Health
As children and teens start to use social media more frequently, it is sometimes hard to tell whether it is helping or harming their mental health. This printable tool helps break down the pros and cons of social media use, as well as providing tips for caregivers to help keep their young people safe online.
Trainings
Protecting Youth Online: Clinical and Legal Perspectives on Social Media and Online Risk-Taking
Social media use is ubiquitous among teens, with use having increased even further during the COVID-19 pandemic. This presentation will enhance participants' ability to articulate the many risks facing youth as they interact online, as well as the relevant legal background. Clinical and social risks faced by youth interacting online include depression, anxiety, and decreased well-being; social comparison; exposure to negative mental health content and social contagion; cyberbullying; sexting; and exposure to substance use. Additionally, young people face legal risks related to cyberbullying, sexting, cyberstalking ...
Websites
TikTok Is Helping Gen Z With Mental Health. Here’s What it Can and Can’t Do
As mental health challenges continue to become more prevalent among teens and young people, many of them are turning to the social media platform, TikTok, for support. This website is an article that outlines the potential benefits and potential risks of using the platform as a mental health resource.
