Project in Newcastle tackles smartphone obsession
A project in Newcastle hopes to stop young people living their life through a screen.
ReCONNECT is a six week youth awareness project that addresses the balance between online and offline life. It’s about promoting the safe and happy use of social media and gaming.
Newcastle High School for Girls is one of just three schools in the UK taking part so far.
The lessons cover a variety of internet-related issues: screen time awareness; distraction and learning; safeguards and law; offline alternatives; health and wellbeing; personal choice.
14 year old pupil, Julia, told Metro Radio that she spends over 10 hours a day on her mobile phone.
She said:
“I have multiple… if one runs out I just move onto the next.”
“I don’t get much sleep and it does affect a lot of my everyday life. It affects my social life but obviously my homework as well because I leave my homework until the last minute.”
Erin Cotter, creator if ReCONNECT, said:
“If you ask young people to stick up their hands if they’re checking their phone at night I’m staggered how many do. They’re going to sleep with their phone, they’re waking up them in the morning and they’re checking them in the night. That’s a big issue.”
Find out more about ReCONNECT here: http://www.reconnect-me.org/new-page-58/