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Youth Work and Social Networkinghttp://blogs.nya.org.uk/ywsn
Oxford Internet Institute Social Networking Conference
April 7th 2008
Young people network photo by ranflickr, (http://flickr.com/photos/rainforestactionnetwork/. Creative Commons Non-Commercial Attribution licensed)
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Youth Work• Statutory sector youth service
established in the 1960s• Young person centred model – starting
where young people are• Informal education, associational,
group work - moving beyond where young people start
• Resourcefulness, Resiliency, Resolve
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Youth Work• 4,225 (3,630 FTE) Youth
Workers, • 17,000 (3,900 FTE) Youth
Support Workers• In contact with average
27.5% of local 13 – 19 year old population
• Works with excluded groups
Source: NYA Audit, 2005-6 (www.nya.org.uk)
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Youth Work and Social Networking
• Literature review
• Survey
• Focus groups
• Action research
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49 % of internet users aged 8 to 17have set up social networking profiles
Increased online opportunitygoes hand in hand withincreased risk to young people
Young people have contradictoryattitudes towards safety online
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Keeping in contact Sharing content
Exploring identityHanging out
Making new contacts
Informallearning
www.flickr.com/photos/28859335@N00/120018144
http://flickr.com/photos/mshades/169570194/ http://flickr.com/photos/loosepunctuation/959524837/
http://flickr.com/photos/morgantepsic/176795867/
http://flickr.com/photos/lewiselementary/152620388/
http://flickr.com/photos/andreasnilsson1976/530776998/
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Youth Work and Social Networking
• Online survey of 120 youth workers, support workers, administrators and managers
• December 2007 – January 2008
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Opportunities for young people
• Increased opportunities for self expression (64%)
• Developing wider range of contacts in the UK and internationally (60%)
• Getting involved in real world positive activities (31%)
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Risks to young people• Bullying (53%)• Disclosing personal
information (35%)• Abuse and exploitation
(29%)• Too much time on
computer (23%)• Risks from sexual
predators (22%)
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Opportunities for youth work
Social network sites already being used for:
• Promotion and recruitment• Keeping in contact• Engagement &
participation• Sharing media from
groups and events
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Youth Work and Social Networking
• 90% believe youth work has a crucial role supporting young people to navigate risks of social networking.
• 85% believe youth work has a crucial role supporting young people to make the most of the opportunities of social networking
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Challenges
90%believe that they
have a crucial role supporting young people to navigate
risk
42% feel equipped to
provide that support.
44% believe web filters to be effective way
to manage risk
81% find web filters are used in their work
settings
86% believe that
training for youth workers would be
effective in maximising
support for young people
29% have received such training
29% have access to
SNS in their work settings
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Where next?(Very early suggestions arising from the research…)
• Resources and training
• Examples of good practice
• A focus on ‘capacity building first’
• Wider consideration of impact of technology on young people
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http://www.nya.org.uk/research http://blogs.nya.org.uk/ywsn
17th May 2008http://www.ukyouthonline.org
[email protected] ://www.timdavies.org.uk
Links to credits for Creative Commons photos from Flickr.com are included on images.
Graphics by Small Kid Design (http://www.smallkid.co.uk/)