This section provides a basic overview of common usage patterns
of online spaces and media by young people in their every day
lives. Many of these can be incorporated into clinical services for
use with young people, as well as in the development of health
promotion strategies that aim to reach young people. ReachOut.com
uses many of these as tools to engage and support young people in
understanding more about their mental health.
In order to understand how to engage young people online, it's
helpful to begin by exploring how young people use the Internet in
their day-to-day lives. We've broken these down into a few key
kinds of online activity:
- Information seeking
- Socialising
(chat/instant messaging, email, social networking sites)
- Creative expression (posting
stories, art, music, commentary etc.)
- Consuming
media (music, video, pictures, text, and combinations
thereof)
- Shopping and
commerce (online auctions, classifieds, moneymaking
opportunities)
- Gaming
Click on the links above to find out more about the different
trends in online behaviour, and the ways in which young people are
using social media and online spaces.
Other Resources
For case studies of tools and spaces that you can use in
practice with young people, visit the Reviews of Therapeutic Tools
and Interviews sections of
ReachOutPro.com.au.
For professional development resources on using technology in
your practice, visit the Professional Development
section.
For information on the uptake of online spaces and trends in the
use of communications technology, visit the Use of Social Media
and Online Spaces section or the Benefits of
Social Media and Online Spaces section.
For more information on the key ways in which young people seek
help online, and the appeal and requirements of online resources,
visit the Help Seeking Online section.
For more information on safety risks and how to help young
people stay safe online, visit the Online Safety section.