Considering the impact of digital media on the mental health of young people, both positive and negative, and how we can support them.

Key learning points

• Identify the issues young people face living in today’s digital world
• Lived experience of the impact of digital media with children and young people
• Understand the benefits and challenges from different perspectives
• Learn about the supports available.

About the event

Using a strong evidence-base the conference brings together leading figures in clinical practice, academic research, and patient experience. We will discuss the key challenges faced in relation to child and adolescent mental health in the fast-paced digital environment. Through a variety of speakers and workshops, you will hear about different perspectives, both positive and negative experiences and how we can help support young people rise to these new challenges.

Many people lack an awareness of the digital landscape, possibly because they have grown up in a different context with less exposure to communication technology, and as such potentially do not engage with this medium in the same way that our young people do, or even at all. This day will help you cut through the moral panics about social media, computer games, and the internet, and using evidence-based examples, will explore the challenges, and the benefits, that new technologies can offer in the context of mental health.

Who should attend

This day would be beneficial to mental health professionals who work in a clinical or research setting. In particular; psychologists, psychiatrists, doctors, nurse practitioners, educational psychologists, researchers, social workers, teachers, and those that work with children affected with mental health issues.

Speakers

Digital entrepreneur and owner of  ‘Sarah Doherty online‘ Sarah offers creative digital solutions to a range of individuals, businesses, and organisations, spanning the digital field including; consultancy, web design, app development, together with graphic design. Her two greatest passions in life are mental health and technology. She is interested in how technology influences people especially young people, and how it could possibly be used to educate and even help people in regards to their mental health, especially with in the ethnic community. She believes that mental health should be talked about freely in society. She has recently spoken at an event to promote women in STEM to young girls at Nottingham University, School of Computer Science.

Barbera Patterson
Childrens hearing Systems – Digital issues being uncovered in the Childrens Hearings Systems and practical measures to support people.

Rena Ali and a group of young people
Young people’s experiences

Trevor is originally a biological scientist focused on intracellular signalling mechanisms, with PhD at University of Sheffield then a Post-Doctoral role at University of Glasgow. Undertook a Masters in Public Health in 1988, and have worked since 1990 in health promotion, based in Greater Glasgow & Clyde. Work includes tackling inequalities, mental health, suicide prevention, addictions prevention, youth health, community and urban health, plus technology for wellbeing. Fellow of Royal Society of Arts.