GROWING UP IN THE DIGITAL WORLD - IS IT TIME TO UPGRADE YOUR PROCESSOR?

The digital world creates many challenges and opportunities for our youth.  Just like technology, you’ll never be done learning new things about them.  Now more than ever, you need to keep abreast of the latest trends and innovations if you plan to be an effective youth intervention specialist.  By attending this conference you will develop a better understanding of how you should approach youth growing up in the digital age and how to guide them down the never explored path of exploding technological advances. 

Morning Speaker

Erin Walsh:  From Online Safety to Digital Citizenship

Welcome to life with Web 2.0. The Internet, social networking, cell phones, video games and other new digital media are game changers in the lives of youth and families. Young people multi-task, play online video games, create their own YouTube videos, text their friends and hang out on Facebook - activities that are rich with both opportunities and risks. Erin Walsh will explain how technology is changing the ways that young people live, learn, and socialize.

She will describe the incredible opportunities associated with growing up in a digital world as well as what to watch out for. Participants will leave this workshop with a better understanding of how new media impact young people’s cognitive and moral development. Combining cutting edge research with warm stories and strategies, Erin Walsh will arm youth-serving professionals with the information and resources they need to help young people develop the critical skills of digital citizenship.

This workshop will answer important questions like:

  • Are young people really good multi-taskers?
  • Is Internet addiction real?
  • Is technology connecting us or disconnecting us?
  • What are healthy boundaries and parameters around media use?
  • What can young people do to become responsible, caring digital citizens?

Afternoon Speaker

Jim Nelson: Running on Empty:  The Seduction and Destruction of Our Youth 

There has been a quantum shift in the societal messages that have put our youth at risk.  The four primitive urges that govern human emotions are being manipulated by media and advertisers causing a shift in cultural norms.  This has created tremendous stress and emotional damage for our youth.  This is reflected in increased anger and hostility, anxiety, depression and loneliness.  These messages have created a malaise of purposeless activity resulting in a growing alienation and despair.  Jim Nelson has worked his entire adult life with young people as a Clinical and Consulting psychologist and as a teacher.  He will explore both the causes of this downward spiral as well as proven and practical interventions to help reverse these destructive trends.

 Course Objectives:

  • Learn the 4 Primitive Urges and their relationship to all stress and negative emotions.
  • Explain the media and advertiser’s role in exploiting the 4 Primitive Urges as well as shifts in the cultural values and messages that put our youth at greater risk of Mental Health problems including depression, impulse control issues, anxiety, loneliness and alienation.
  • Know at least one exercise to help youth reflect on their own purpose and list several benefits of Creating Purpose and Meaning for Youth to counteract these destructive trends.
  • Learn at least 3 strategies and exercises designed to help youth gain self-awareness of the imbalances caused by poor choices regarding the 4 Primitive Urges.

Conference Specifications:

YIPA wildly thanks our sponsors for this professional development opportunity:

Northland Foundation

Duluth Superior Foundation