Online Addictions: The influence of social media and online personalities.
🏷️ From £90
🎧 This webinar is for children and adult safeguarding practitioners and leads in all organisations and sectors.
📍 Online
🎥 Watch live or on catch up
Course outline:
Social media, online gaming and digital content are increasingly embedded in young people’s everyday lives. While these platforms can offer connection, entertainment and opportunities for learning, they can also encourage compulsive behaviours and expose young people to potentially harmful influences.
This webinar will explore online addictions and the techniques used by platforms, influencers and content creators to capture and retain attention. It will consider how online personalities can shape young people’s attitudes, choices and behaviours, as well as the signs that healthy online engagement may be becoming problematic. Delegates will gain practical strategies to support young people in developing safer, healthier and more balanced digital habits.
Training topics will include:
- Understanding online addiction and problematic digital behaviours
- How social media platforms and online games are designed to encourage continued engagement
- The influence of content creators, streamers and online personalities
- Parasocial relationships and why young people may place trust in people they follow online
- The impact of algorithms, targeted content and online trends
- Recognising signs that online use may be affecting wellbeing, relationships, sleep or education
- Practical approaches to early intervention, support and healthier digital boundaries
- When concerns may require escalation or specialist support.
Learning outcomes
Delegates will:
- Develop a clearer understanding of online addiction and problematic digital use
- Recognise how platforms and online personalities can influence young people’s behaviour and decision-making
- Identify early warning signs that a young person’s online activity may be becoming harmful
- Feel more confident discussing online habits with young people in an open and non-judgemental way
- Gain practical strategies to promote digital resilience, critical thinking and healthier online engagement
- Understand when and how to respond to safeguarding or wellbeing concerns.
Speaker: Patrick Foster, Director | GAM-Ed
Patrick Foster is a former professional cricketer, insurance broker and schoolteacher whose life was shattered by a pathological gambling addiction that brought him to the verge of taking his own life in March 2018.
Using his experience, he works with schools, companies and individuals, young and old, raising awareness of the dangers of gambling and associated risk-taking behaviours. By sharing his own story, he hopes to help others identify if they, or someone around them, are experiencing addiction or mental health problems and inspire them to reach out for help.
Patrick is an ambassador for the Mintridge Foundation, a registered charity dedicated to enhancing life skills in young people through sport, building resilience and confidence through sport, and creating awareness of the importance of mental and physical wellbeing.
He is the author of bestselling book Might Bite: The Secret Life of a Gambling Addict, his brutally honest account of over a decade of pathological gambling addiction to recovery and beyond.
