It now seems almost impossible for IT departments to imagine a world without social media.
But Gen Z, who can’t remember a time before smartphones, risks becoming the most isolated generation in history.
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A large proportion of young people’s lives in the UK are spent alone in their rooms scrolling through screens, new statistics reveal.
And many people actually want to kick their technology habit, but don’t know how.
Now a charity is issuing a call to action to help them develop their social lives.
The ‘Generational Segregation’ report, a survey of 5,000 young people in the UK, reveals that huge numbers of 11-18 year olds fear feeling alienated, lonely and anxious without a mobile phone. I made it.
Three in 10 revealed that they want real-world social experiences, affordable leisure activities, and safe places to play with friends to enrich their time outside of school.
But for many, these are simply not available.
Youth charity OnSide says the right investment in youth clubs will give young people the opportunity to make direct connections that are more compelling than the lure of a device.
According to the GI report, smartphone use is now the most dominant free-time activity for young people outside of class.
“The message from young people is overwhelmingly clear: They want to give up their addiction to smartphones and want to interact in person, but they are also worried about loneliness, isolation and anxiety,” said Jamie Maslaf, Chief Executive Officer of OnSide. “I feel trapped by the habit of leaving things behind,” he said.
“We are failing young people by treating time outside of school as an afterthought and not creating enough opportunities for real life to be better than life on screen.
“If we don’t provide safe, affordable places to grow up outside of school, we will create a generation that will grow up to be socially anxious, lack social skills, and have difficulty navigating real-world environments. There is a danger that
“Youth clubs, with the support of dedicated youth workers, provide a rich and vibrant environment where young people have fun, build confidence, develop life skills and become happy, healthy and flourishing adults. There is evidence that youth preparedness is an underdeveloped solution to the challenges outlined in generational segregation.
“It must be a right and a reality for all young people.”
Streaming content such as Netflix, YouTube, gaming, and general phone usage are the main activities dominating teenagers’ screens, along with TV viewing.
Overall, the amount of time spent gaming and scrolling through social media has skyrocketed since the pandemic.
One in four young people questioned said they talk to more friends on their mobile phone than in real life, and one in 20 claimed that talking on their mobile phone is better than in real life.
“Make friends”
Alarmingly, half of those surveyed were found to experience very high levels of anxiety and loneliness, spending most of their free time in their bedrooms.
But Generation Isolation is clear about the solution.
This research shows that youth clubs can play an important role in helping young people make direct connections and develop skills and resilience.
The majority of teens who join these clubs say that the clubs have made a positive difference in their lives, with the most popular reason being “making friends and having social interactions.” “to do.”
However, despite these obvious benefits, only 15 percent of young people attend youth centers, and almost half do not have a youth club nearby.
A separate report from the Education Committee, published in May, found that children’s screen time in the UK increased by 52 per cent between 2020 and 2022, with nearly 25 per cent of children and young people using their smartphones next. It is said that it is used in a similar way. Consistent with behavioral addiction.
Other countries are also taking action to address this growing problem.
Swedish public health authorities recently issued new guidelines stating that children under the age of two should not use digital media at all, and older children should not use more than one to three hours per day.
In the UK, campaigns to encourage children to avoid using smartphones during childhood are becoming increasingly popular.
And more and more parents are wondering about their children’s screen use and the short- and long-term effects it has on them.
On the right, hear how getting out of the house and finding real-life friendships helped three teens.
“It’s like an addiction.”
Maria, 13, has been a member of OnSide’s Legacy Youth Zone in Croydon, south London, for a year now.
Before joining the company, I spent all my free time on my cell phone.
she says: “My phone is my baby. I feel anxious without it.
It would be very sad if I lost it. How should I tell my friends?
It’s like an addiction. I would like to spend less time on it so I can spend more time on other things.
I know I spend hours on TikTok, but I don’t remember anything about what I watched afterwards. It’s like fast food for your brain.
I now come to Legacy as many nights as possible to meet new people.
You can use the phone here, but there’s something very important going on, so it’s not a good idea. ”
Boost our youth club
Anthony Oborne, 39, is a worktop fitter and is married to Hayley, 35.
They have two daughters, Chloe (16) and Isabella (13), and live in Wolverhampton.
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He said: ‘Chloe was bullied in primary school and two different secondary schools.
The friends she made were bullies. They were putting things in her hair and hitting her.
By the age of 13, Chloe told us what was happening, she had lost confidence and was not trusting others.
The school took no action, so we had no choice but to homeschool her.
However, it meant that Chloe had no chance to make new friends and was feeling lonely.
She started learning guitar and turned to TikTok. Although she built a sizable following, she had no real-life friendships.
We convinced her to go to The Way Youth Zone nearby, Onside. Chloe was very nervous, but once she walked in the door, she loved the atmosphere.
She felt relieved and encouraged. She was drawn to the gym and music room, where youth workers created a fitness program for her.
She is currently in an all-female heavy metal band with her friends from The Way.
They’re called Dying Addiction and play gigs across the Midlands.
I wrote a graphic novel about Chloe’s story called Don’t Follow The Crowd to help other parents and young people feel less alone. ”
“I’ve become even more antisocial.”
Abbey, 16, joined Warrington Youth Zone in Cheshire two years ago, which boosted her confidence.
She says: “Before I came here, I was very quiet.
I was spending most of my free time in my bedroom using my cell phone.
But I realized it made me more antisocial.
Participating had a huge impact on my confidence.
I fell in love with performing arts and singing, and now I want to be an actress or a drama teacher.
I didn’t really put myself forward, but the youth workers there gave me a lot of encouragement. ”
