A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
Australia is one of the most multicultural counties in the world with 41% of Australians having one parent that was born overseas. Collectively, Australians speak over 200 languages; the most common being Chinese, Italian, Greek and Arabic, not to mention more than 50 languages spoken by Indigenous Australians*. This melting pot that is Australia continues [...]
"8% of kids are playing games at a level where it impacts negatively on their life," says Dr Warburton. Many parents and teaching professionals are concerned about the effects of exposing growing children to violent music (rap/hip hop and heavy metal) and violent media (games such as Grand Theft Auto). “Although media is just one [...]
90% of children play computer games. 10% of them are addicted. The dangers of computers games have been in the news again recently with the death of a teenager in Taiwan after playing for 40 hours straight without refreshments or leaving the computer. Internet computer games have and addictive dimension to them that some young [...]
The arrest and charging of a NSW teacher for engaging in sexually explicit conversations with a 14 year old girl in the USA has again brought to light the dangers of children ‘chatting’ to strangers online. Online predators are experts at internet grooming and luring young people into compromising situations that they are not able [...]
65% of year 4 students experienced covert bullying It seems ironic that a young student in the USA, Jessica Barba, was recently suspended for highlighting the dangers and traumas that many students struggle with when they become the targets of cyber bullying. What started out as a school assignment ended up as an online anti-bullying [...]
Researchers from the University of Auckland in New Zealand just published promising results of a study comparing a video game they designed to help treat depression in teenage kids against traditional face-to-face counseling. Called SPARX, the game guides the players through a number of challenges that help practice handling various life situations and emotions that [...]
27% of 18 to 24 year olds suffer mental health issues* The transition of young people into adults is no doubt an awkward phase for most teenagers. It is a time when they are most vulnerable to mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders and addictions. Their understanding of these states of being [...]
90% of 15 to 17 year olds own a mobile phone* Girlfriend magazine: 40% of girl readers had sent explicit photos Mental Health & Wellbeing of Young People seminar speaker and Cyber safety expert Susan McLean defines sexting as: the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photos electronically, primarily between mobile phones, but can [...]
What is Cybersmart? Cybersmart is a national cybersafety and cybersecurity education program managed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), as part of the Australian Government’s commitment to cybersafety. The program is specifically designed to meet the needs of its target audiences of children, young people, parents, teachers and library staff. Cybersmart aims to: [...]
