There has been an abundance of news, statistics and articles surrounding young people and mental health, and the need for there to be an open conversation surrounding mental health and wellbeing.
After the success of last year’s Digital Detox Day, Worksop College and Ranby House will once again be unplugging, switching off and shunning screens.
Our Digital Detox hopes to recognise the importance of taking a break from all things tech-related, and highlight the benefits of time offline, including improvements to physical health, mental health and relationships.
“Children are less likely to suffer from serious mental health difficulties in later life if they receive support at an early age.”
The increase in time spent online means that we are more connected than ever before.
And while social media is a powerful tool for young people; providing a platform for voices to be heard, it has arguably transformed our culture into one of ‘over-sharing’.
“Our reliance on social media can have a detrimental effect on our mental health, with the average Brit checking their phone as much as 28 times a day.”
Assistant Deputy Head (Academic) and Head of PSHE, Dr Adam Gutteridge said:
"Social media's appallingly constant cascade of filtered photographs, with their skewed vision of airbrushed beauty, corrodes the self.”
He continues:
“Self-esteem is becoming increasingly unstable, plummeting and soaring based on the junk-votes of 'likes' and 'shares'. It's not merely that young people's attention-spans are shattered and their sleep patterns are disrupted; it's that their entire system of worth, value, and 'reality' is being retouched just like the photo-world in which they're immersed."
Last year, our Digital Detox Day saw students and staff communicating more efficiently and effectively, and with this year’s date in place, here’s hoping for more of the same.
Our Digital Detox Day will take place on Friday 12 October.