Young people today are the first generation for which the internet is a given, at the same time reported mental health problems within this group have risen steeply (Nuffield Trust, 2018). Many have found these phenomena to be linked; research by the Royal Society for Public Health found that social media use across a range of popular channels led to increased feelings of anxiety, depression, poor body image and loneliness (RSPH, 2017). Internet addiction is also becoming more prevalent within society; some individuals are spending more than 15 hours a day online (BBC, 2014) and the WHO has officially classified gaming addiction as a disorder. Increasingly, it is recognised that internet reliance is having negative impacts on people’s personal and working lives (Ofcom, 2016). The gap between the real and online world has also created other issues. Unrealistic or selective content prevalent on social media has led to many, especially young women, reporting struggles with self-esteem and body image (Makwana et al., 2018, Davis & Hyman, 2018). Similarly, the proliferation of misinformation online has increasingly become a concern for European society. The EU’s Digital Single Market strategy recognises the need for digital media literacy amongst citizen for them to be able to responsibly navigate online content (European Commission, 2018). At the same time the internet provides opportunities for people across Europe to connect, learn and engage. Particularly, the EU’s strategy for a ‘Digital Single Market’ promotes a new horizon for digital inclusion and integration across Europe for mutual benefit. This recognises the avenues the internet opens for more accessible and innovative learning opportunities. New employment prospects, technological development and economic growth, fuelled by the digital revolution, are also bringing benefits to young people across Europe (IMF, 2018). Research has shown the social benefits of the internet, including promoting civic engagement amongst disenfranchised young people (Banji & Buckingham, 2010) and addressing mental health problems by connecting people with virtual support networks and a space for self-expression (Marchant et al, 2018). For young people to be able to fully benefit from the new opportunities provided by technological developments they also need the skills to protect themselves against the parallel dangers. Thus, DigitFit aims to work with young people, and especially those who have a problematic relationship with the internet, to raise awareness about the different beneficial ways it can be used. It also works to foster a more responsible use of the internet by this group, enabling them to find a better balance between their online and offline lives and more reflexively engage with the information and images they consume online. The project objectives are to: - Develop a DigitFit E-Learning Platform for young people - Create and deliver a Training Programme and Mentoring CirclesTM for skill and knowledge development around digital health for young people. - Increase young people’s skills, awareness and abilities for more responsible and beneficial internet use. - Increase Trainer’s ability to deal with this issue To achieve this there will be three intellectual outputs carried out as part of the DigitFit project: - IO1 – Training Programme The Training Programme will engage participants with the topic of digital health through the combined use of both a Training Programme and Mentoring CirclesTM. The Training Programme will educate them about the potential benefits and harms of the internet for young people and equip them with skills to find balance between their online and offline lives. The Mentoring CirclesTM will work with participants to increase their self-awareness and self-efficacy about their use of the digital world to foster more responsible engagement with it. - IO2 – Guide for Facilitators A Facilitator’s Pack will be developed to train both partner staff, at a one-day workshop, and external personnel working with young people who will take part in a programme delivered by partners. This will ensure innovative and excellent training both within the project and more widely to increase impact. - IO3 – E-Learning Platform The E-Learning Platform will host highly interactive and innovative tools and materials to develop young people’s competencies for engaging responsibly and positively with the digital world. This project will serve as a tool to raise awareness about the potential harms of internet and social media use for young people. It will also teach about the far-reaching benefits of the internet for young people including employment opportunities, support networks and as a cite of learning. Ultimately, it will combine this with training to foster the skills and knowledge needed for young people to safely navigate the digital world and truly benefit from it.
Given that context the main objective of the project was to provide young people with the necessary skills and competences for the responsible, efficient and healthy use of social and digital media. Which we believed would prevent the emergence of health problems arising from the inappropriate use of the Internet. The outputs, results and impact of the project were aimed at actively engaging young people, guiding and empowering them in order to use social media in a healthy way, avoiding negative effects and benefiting from their advantages. In this regard, the project activities have contributed to empower and engage youth through innovative methodologies, paying particular attention to an issue which is important for all young people across Europe. Additionally, the project has also focused on building the capacity of teachers and youth workers, by equipping them with tools and methods for working on this topic with young people. As teachers and youth workers often lack a clear view on how social and digital media impact youngsters, neither do they have the needed skills and tools to tackle this topic.
At the moment of application, there were studies showing an increasing tendency in the number of young people suffering from problems associated with the misuse of the internet. Across Europe levels of internet use are similarly high and the consequent challenges and benefits are being experienced in all nations. It was also recognised that reliance on the internet was impacting people’s personal and working lives (Ofcom, 2016). Additionally we were aware that digital technology is constantly evolving meaning the health and wellbeing impacts are largely unknown, yet potentially far-reaching and severe. As the digital world is something present in the lives of young people and it has a great impact on them, a relationship that has tightened during the COVID period in which the use of social media has become more intense and even essential for certain aspects of not only personal but also professional life. In this context the need of building capacity, skills and competences related to the use of social and digital media not only in young people but also in youth workers were seen as crucial.
Young people today are the first generation for which the internet is a given, at the same time reported mental health problems within this group have risen steeply (Nuffield Trust, 2018). Many have found these phenomena to be linked; research by the Royal Society for Public Health found that social media use across a range of popular channels led to increased feelings of anxiety, depression, poor body image and loneliness (RSPH, 2017). Internet addiction is also becoming more prevalent within society; some individuals are spending more than 15 hours a day online (BBC, 2014) and the WHO has officially classified gaming addiction as a disorder. Increasingly, it is recognised that internet reliance is having negative impacts on people’s personal and working lives (Ofcom, 2016). The gap between the real and online world has also created other issues. Unrealistic or selective content prevalent on social media has led to many, especially young women, reporting struggles with self-esteem and body image (Makwana et al., 2018, Davis & Hyman, 2018). Similarly, the proliferation of misinformation online has increasingly become a concern for European society. The EU’s Digital Single Market strategy recognises the need for digital media literacy amongst citizen for them to be able to responsibly navigate online content (European Commission, 2018). At the same time the internet provides opportunities for people across Europe to connect, learn and engage. Particularly, the EU’s strategy for a ‘Digital Single Market’ promotes a new horizon for digital inclusion and integration across Europe for mutual benefit. This recognises the avenues the internet opens for more accessible and innovative learning opportunities. New employment prospects, technological development and economic growth, fuelled by the digital revolution, are also bringing benefits to young people across Europe (IMF, 2018). Research has shown the social benefits of the internet, including promoting civic engagement amongst disenfranchised young people (Banji & Buckingham, 2010) and addressing mental health problems by connecting people with virtual support networks and a space for self-expression (Marchant et al, 2018). For young people to be able to fully benefit from the new opportunities provided by technological developments they also need the skills to protect themselves against the parallel dangers. Thus, DigitFit aims to work with young people, and especially those who have a problematic relationship with the internet, to raise awareness about the different beneficial ways it can be used. It also works to foster a more responsible use of the internet by this group, enabling them to find a better balance between their online and offline lives and more reflexively engage with the information and images they consume online. The project objectives are to: - Develop a DigitFit E-Learning Platform for young people - Create and deliver a Training Programme and Mentoring CirclesTM for skill and knowledge development around digital health for young people. - Increase young people’s skills, awareness and abilities for more responsible and beneficial internet use. - Increase Trainer’s ability to deal with this issue To achieve this there will be three intellectual outputs carried out as part of the DigitFit project: - IO1 – Training Programme The Training Programme will engage participants with the topic of digital health through the combined use of both a Training Programme and Mentoring CirclesTM. The Training Programme will educate them about the potential benefits and harms of the internet for young people and equip them with skills to find balance between their online and offline lives. The Mentoring CirclesTM will work with participants to increase their self-awareness and self-efficacy about their use of the digital world to foster more responsible engagement with it. - IO2 – Guide for Facilitators A Facilitator’s Pack will be developed to train both partner staff, at a one-day workshop, and external personnel working with young people who will take part in a programme delivered by partners. This will ensure innovative and excellent training both within the project and more widely to increase impact. - IO3 – E-Learning Platform The E-Learning Platform will host highly interactive and innovative tools and materials to develop young people’s competencies for engaging responsibly and positively with the digital world. This project will serve as a tool to raise awareness about the potential harms of internet and social media use for young people. It will also teach about the far-reaching benefits of the internet for young people including employment opportunities, support networks and as a cite of learning. Ultimately, it will combine this with training to foster the skills and knowledge needed for young people to safely navigate the digital world and truly benefit from it.