MySociaLife Video Tips
We will shortly be updating this gallery with video tips, so watch this space - from March 1st.
info@mysocialife.com
021 419 3144
Teens and pre-teens have so much more to deal with than any adult can imagine. Our Program covers 8 important modules of their life online, and unpacks ‘digital critical thinking’, the harm of cyberbullying and need for empathy, the way sexuality plays out online, how to adopt a healthy digital identity, how to set up properly on smart devices, lock down one’s privacy and understand cybersecurity, how to manage screen time, obsession and the impact of devices on mental health, and much more. We also show them how to embrace tech and enjoy it safely, how to explore and, for many, to use it as a means for good.
This octagonal perspective delivers a multi-dimensional framework of ‘digital values’. The presentations are driven by a world-class educator and supported by psychologists, trending videos, influencers, and animations, helping to generate real impact. MySociaLife’s teen and pre-teen graduates (they receive a certificate) ultimately demonstrate more awareness of online issues, respond accordingly, and make better choices.
So many parents have reported to us that they feel lost at sea. How can anyone keep up with the evolving landscape of apps, trends, hoaxes, risks, and security settings?
We cover it all in a dynamic 75-minute training session to parents of children from Grade 4 to 7, and also to parents of learners Grade 8 to 11. The two different presentations cover the challenges within each age group, explaining how to build digital values into your conversations, set up an agreement, what to watch out for in terms of the risks to your children, an expose of the latest apps and privacy settings, as well as understanding and managing cyberbullying and sexting.
The overarching feedback from students around the country has been astounding, due to the combination of insights, practical tools, and real-life on-campus experience that MySociaLife has access to.
Bringing digital training to teachers changes the way they see the behaviour of students online. Only when you can understand the complex digital landscape can you start to change it, establishing a robust digital culture in schools and building a relevant social media policy in support.
If schools feel they can ignore the issue, it will soon catch up on them, with reputational damage to the brand. The only solution is to bring the staff into the picture so they know what to look for and how to handle it.
Our presentations ensure even the most ‘non-tech’ teachers grasp what is happening out there, and the tips on how to handle it. Most importantly, we co-build realistic and usable social media policies to ensure your school has ongoing training in place and lives up to its promise – demonstrating to concerned parents that your school is up-to-date and proactive, and protecting it from unnecessary reputational crisis.
As a test of our metal, we started this business by educating mental health professionals first. We figured if we passed that test, we could achieve anything.
From there, it became apparent that school counsellors, psychologists and therapists were desperately needing to understand the social media context in order to deliver a relevant approach. We now not only train two hospitals child psychiatry units (Red Cross Children’s Hospital Africa and Tygerberg Hospital), but COVID-19 forced us to develop a video program for school counsellors and mental health professionals anywhere in the world.
Partnering with one of South Africa’s leading child (cognitive) behaviour therapists, Dr David Rosenstein, we have two 45-minute presentations, examining the latest apps and technology that are causing mental health issues – depression, anxiety, body image, for example – in young learners and teenagers, and proposing possible approaches and solutions.
``I really wanna see more overall best presentation EVER``
``He explained everything and made examples for us to understand``
``He was amazing, I really felt his talks``
``I loved the presentation, and I learn a lot because he made it easy to understand the effects and situations that people are going through``
"You left me with clear understanding that our children are in trouble"
Clearly, you know this topic from the inside-out and you have a manner and style of presenting that makes techno-phobes like the staff here grasp the roles these devices play in our patient’s lives. I think what really stood out for me was the sharing of your own personal experiences with your children – the point being this matters to you. Though your talk to us was short and a condensed version, it left me with clear understanding that our children are in trouble, with the failure of older generations to manage this technology unleashed, qualifying to be seen as “psychological neglect”. We are placing them at risk and the excuse of “don’t know how it works” just isn't good-enough.
"Social media and the digital world need our urgent attention in terms of the good, the bad and the ugly."
"This presentation provides an up-to-date, accessible and thoughtful guide to the rapid advances and changes in social engagement through social media. We have to keep up to date and keep thinking and engaging with this evolving, shifting, influential and habit forming part of our lives and those of the children and adolescents for whom we are responsible.”
"Dean McCoubrey has developed something unique in the world of parenting that nobody else seems to be addressing"
"If you are one of those parents who are afraid of words like ‘app’, ‘bandwidth’, ‘streaming’, and ‘MMO’, then you might not be aware of the risks that the digital world creates, not just for you, but for your digital native child. Dean McCoubrey has developed something unique in the world of parenting that nobody else seems to be addressing: building digitals values into your parenting plan for the child of the 21st century. Dean is passionate about media, and he is able to use his passion to educate us, as parents, about the risks and responsibilities of raising digital natives."
A parent of teens and pre-teens, Dean has been an expert in traditional, digital and social media for over 20 years. From this perspective, he realised that kids could benefit from guidance around the evolving nature of the media. His passion is education and guidance for young learners to develop their awareness and resilience.
David Rosenstein works with children, teenagers, and adults in the areas of anxiety and depression, as well as phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, psychological trauma, separation anxiety, sleep disturbances, and ADHD: ``Dean has tirelessly researched, networked, trialed and consulted with experts to provide a balanced view on the technology, mental health dangers, and the solutions that extend into forming positive habits and developing an awareness of what is right and wrong, safe or strong.``
Mary-Ann is an amazing organiser. She has the ability to retain a phenomenal amount of information, collate and then organise it into actions to be completed. Her skills extend into social media and digital marketing as well as direct communications and managing partner relationships. She's a real gem.
Frances is an exceptionally talented and driven young lady. She was selected as one of just 100 to receive the prestigious Allan Gray scholarship, after a series of interviews & tests to be shortlisted, and MySociaLife snapped up her up to join us, as our teen star that would shed further light on the realities of youth 'from the inside', bringing both reality and honesty into our awareness campaigns. Only #GenZ can truly understand and unpack the trials and tribulations of #GenZ.
MySociaLife has been the end result of two years of extensive research and collaboration
We receive daily bulletins from our partners or peers globally to track technology and cases
We combine the insights from leading educators, teachers and a group of parents and learners to stay abreast of ``reality``
We have commenced discussions with local and international partners that specialise in different areas of relevance - cyberbullying, sexting, privacy, latest apps
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If you would like more information to train your prep school or college students, fill in the form below, and we will get back to you.
Unit G1 Victoria Junction Gate 5
123 Prestwich Street, Greenpoint, Cape Town, 8001
Email: info@mysocialife.com
Phone: +27 83 455 4808
