How Do Social Workers Reach Young People on Social Media?

How Do Social Workers Reach Young People on Social Media?

Social media has become a powerful tool for engaging with young people, particularly those aged 13–25. Social workers and educators are increasingly using platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to connect with youth, share important messages, and address social issues. This blog explores how social professionals effectively reach their target audience and how social media can be used to combat bullying.

Examples of Social Work Engaging Young People on Social Media

1. Lääkäri Atte – A Doctor Fighting Substance Abuse (Instagram & TikTok)

One prominent example of an influencer using social media for social good is Lääkäri Atte, a Finnish doctor who actively engages young audiences on TikTok and Instagram. He raises awareness about substance abuse and addiction through informative and relatable videos. By using humor, storytelling, and engaging visuals, Atte creates content that resonates with young people, encouraging them to make healthier choices.

Why it works:

• He speaks in a language that young people understand.

• He uses trending challenges and viral formats to spread his message.

• He interacts with his audience by responding to comments and engaging in discussions.

2. YouTube Series on Mental Health and Social Issues

Many organizations and individual social workers use YouTube to create in-depth educational content about mental health, social justice, and personal development. Channels like "The Real Talk Show" focus on real-life issues young people face, such as peer pressure, anxiety, and bullying. These videos often feature testimonials, expert advice, and interactive Q&A sessions to keep young audiences engaged.

Why it works:

• Longer videos allow for detailed discussions on complex topics.

• The comment section provides a platform for community engagement and peer support.

• Creators can collaborate with influencers to reach a wider audience.

How Can Social Professionals Reach Young People?

Social workers and educators can effectively reach young audiences by:

• Using Authentic Storytelling – Sharing real-life stories that reflect the struggles and experiences of young people.

• Creating Interactive Content – Engaging with young users through Q&A sessions, live streams, and challenges.

• Collaborating with Influencers – Partnering with social media influencers who have an existing young audience.

• Utilizing Multiple Platforms – Different platforms serve different purposes; TikTok for short, engaging clips, Instagram for interactive posts and stories, and YouTube for in-depth discussions.

How to Decrease Bullying Using Social Media?

If the goal is to reduce bullying, social workers and educators should consider the following strategies:

1. Choosing the Right Platform

• TikTok – Short videos raising awareness about bullying, self-esteem, and kindness.

• Instagram – Interactive campaigns using stories, polls, and reels.

• YouTube – Longer discussions, testimonials, and expert interviews on handling bullying.

• Discord – Creating supportive communities where young people can discuss their experiences safely.

2. Engaging Campaigns & Initiatives

• Anti-Bullying Challenges – Encouraging young people to share their positive experiences or how they stood up against bullying.

• Storytelling Campaigns – Using real-life testimonials to highlight the impact of bullying.

• Interactive Q&A Sessions – Inviting experts, influencers, or victims of bullying to share their insights.

3. Encouraging Peer Support

• Creating online support groups where young people can discuss and seek advice from mentors or trained professionals.

• Promoting kindness through viral hashtags and trends.

• Partnering with schools and organizations to integrate social media efforts with offline programs.

Final Thoughts

Social media offers an incredible opportunity for social workers to reach young people and create positive change. By leveraging the power of digital platforms, professionals can educate, support, and inspire the younger generation. Whether it's combating substance abuse, raising awareness about mental health, or fighting against bullying, the key lies in authenticity, engagement, and community building.

What do you think? How can we use social media more effectively to support young people? Let’s continue the conversation in the comments!

Social work with Young People (13-25)

 Social media is a great way for social workers to connect with young people aged 13–25. It helps them support, educate, and inspire youth in a space where they already spend a lot of time. Let’s look at how social workers can reach young people on social media with real-life examples and ideas.

1. Using Popular Platforms: Social workers should use the same social media platforms that young people use most. Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are perfect for reaching this group. For example, in Finland, some organizations create educational TikTok videos about mental health and self-care, while others share inspiring stories on Instagram.

2. Learning from Influencers: Balendra Shah, a Nepali rapper, engineer, and the mayor of Kathmandu, is a great example of how to influence young people. He uses his music and social media presence to fight against substance abuse and advocate for positive change. His honest and relatable approach makes him a role model for many youths.

3. Engaging with Interactive Content: Social workers can create polls, Q&A sessions, and live videos to interact with young people in real-time. This helps them understand youth concerns and provide instant support and advice.

4. Spreading Awareness and Support: Social workers can share resources like helplines, counseling services, and educational materials on social media. Short videos, infographics, and personal stories help make this information accessible and engaging.

5. Fighting Bullying Online: If the goal is to decrease bullying, social workers could use TikTok and YouTube to share anti-bullying campaigns. They could post videos showing the impact of bullying, share stories from victims, and offer practical advice on how to stand up against it. Interactive hashtags and challenges could help spread the message even further.

By using social media in a smart and thoughtful way, social workers can inspire and support young people, helping them feel heard and empowered.

Connecting with Youth: The Role of Social Media in Social Work

 "Connecting with Youth: The Role of Social Media in Social Work"

Introduction

Social media has become an essential platform for social workers and professionals to engage with young people (ages 13-25). It serves as a space for education, mental health support, and awareness campaigns. This vlog explores how social workers use TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to connect with youth, provide guidance, and address social issues.

Examples of Social Work on Social Media

1. Lääkäri Atte (@laakari.atte) – TikTok & Instagram

Lääkäri Atte (Dr. Atte Karppinen) is a Finnish doctor who uses TikTok and Instagram to educate young people about mental health, substance abuse, and general well-being. His videos are engaging, often featuring humor and interactive content, making difficult topics easier to understand. By using short, informative clips, he helps break stigmas surrounding mental health and addiction, reaching a large audience of young people in Finland.

2. Nuortenelämä.fi – YouTube & Instagram

Nuortenelämä.fi is a Finnish youth support service that provides guidance on mental health, bullying, and life challenges. Through YouTube videos and Instagram Q&A sessions, social workers and educators answer questions from young people in a friendly and accessible format. This service ensures that professional guidance is available online, helping youth receive support outside traditional face-to-face interactions.

Strategies to Decrease Bullying Through Social Media

Social workers can utilize different platforms to raise awareness and reduce bullying among young people. Some key strategies include:

✅ TikTok & Instagram:

• Creating short, relatable videos about real-life bullying experiences.
• Encouraging influencers to spread anti-bullying messages.
• Interactive Q&A sessions where young people can share experiences and seek advice.

✅ YouTube:

• Hosting interviews with experts and victims of bullying.
• Producing educational content that teaches young people how to stand up against bullying.
• Sharing success stories of overcoming bullying.

✅ Discord & Snapchat:

• Creating safe, moderated chat spaces where social workers provide real-time support.
• Encouraging anonymous discussions to help victims open up.

My Approach to Reducing Bullying

If I were leading an anti-bullying campaign, I would:

• Start a TikTok series featuring real-life bullying stories and expert advice.
• Use Instagram Reels & Stories to promote positive messaging and support.
• Host a YouTube discussion series where professionals and young people discuss bullying experiences and solutions. 

Conclusion

Social media is a powerful tool for youth engagement, support, and social change. By using platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, social professionals can create safe spaces, educate young people, and tackle social issues like bullying and mental health.

 

Role of Digital Media In Promoting Social Justice and Social Inclusion

 

Using Social Media to Support and Empower Young People: The Role of Social Workers

 How Social Workers Reach to Young People on Social Media

Social workers, together with other professionals, make use of various platforms of social media to connect with youth (13–25 years old), sharing knowledge and guidance, and awareness-raising information in relation to important social topics. This could be Dr. Atte (laakari.atte)-a doctor and social media influencer who actively fights against substance abuse and addictions on TikTok and Instagram. His audience is made up of young people that he reaches through informative yet fun videos explaining sometimes very complicated health topics in a very relatable manner. His style consists of interactive Q&A sessions, combatting myths about drug use, and sharing real-life cases-making his content irresistible and effective in raising awareness. Another example is Nuorten Exit, the Finnish organization that deals with the prevention of sexual violence and unhealthy relationships among young people. They use TikTok and Instagram for sharing videos with informative and educational content, real-life testimonials, and polls that can facilitate discussions and reflections among the youth. By joining together visual storytelling, short-form videos, and engaging content in interaction, the social workers would attract a young audience to where they are most active.

Methods of Bullying Reduction with the Use of Social Media

Taking into consideration the goal of intervention, to decrease bullying, the most efficient tools to make it true would be TikTok, Instagram, and Discord. In any kind of effort to spread anti-bullying messages, TikTok and Instagram should be used to increase awareness by means of short, interesting videos, stories, or influencer collaborations. Social workers and other activists can cooperate with various popular influencers to create viral challenges promoting kindness and respect, with empathetic revelations of real-life testimonies from the survivors of bullying. Live Q&A sessions with an expert could help kids find advice and support from their peers in real-time. At the same level, the same community in Discord could also make it possible for all of the kids to reflect on their experiences anonymously, get advice from the professionals, and join peers in similar situations. A moderated Reddit forum can also work as a support internet platform for youth to seek for advice and share. Combining these platforms with well-structured awareness campaigns, interactive content, and professional guidance would create an effective approach to reducing bullying and promoting a safer online environment.

Discussion video

 

 The  Positive Impact of Digital Media on Primary School Children:

In today’s fast-paced digital world, children are exposed to screens and online content from an early age. Digital media has become an integral part of education and entertainment, shaping the way primary school children learn, communicate, and interact with the world.  Today I am going to talk about the some of the positive impact of digital media on primary school children.

The Positive Effects of Digital Media on Primary School Children

1. Enhanced Learning Opportunities
   Educational apps, interactive e-books, and online resources have transformed the learning experience for children. Digital media enables them to grasp complex concepts through engaging visuals and interactive activities, making education more enjoyable and effective.

2. Improved Cognitive and Problem-Solving Skills
   Many digital games and applications require logical thinking and strategy, helping children develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. For instance, puzzle games and coding apps encourage young minds to think analytically and enhance their decision-making abilities.

3. Boosting Creativity and Imagination
   Platforms such as digital drawing tools, animation software, and storytelling apps encourage children to explore their creative potential. These resources allow them to create art, music, and stories, fostering imagination and self-expression.

4. Developing Technological Literacy
   In an era driven by technology, being digitally literate is crucial. Early exposure to digital media equips children with essential tech skills, preparing them for future academic and career pursuits.

5. Better Communication and Social Interaction
   Video calls, messaging apps, and educational social platforms help children stay connected with family and peers. They can collaborate on school projects, engage in discussions, and learn teamwork skills.

          Children and Digital media

 Introducing children to digital media in preschool requires a balanced approach that fosters media literacy while ensuring safe and age-appropriate engagement. Here's how educators and caregivers can support young learners in taking their first steps into the digital world:

Understanding Media Education and Media Literacy

Media education involves teaching children to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media in various forms. Media literacy equips them with the critical thinking skills necessary to understand media content and its purposes. The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare (MLL) emphasizes the importance of guiding children to use media responsibly and consciously. They suggest that parents and educators should:

• Take an interest in the child's use of the internet and explore various media together.
• Ensure the child uses age-appropriate media content.
• Guide the child on safe media use and provide support if they encounter negative experiences.
• Discuss suitable limits for gaming and other media use.

Teaching Media Literacy in Early Childhood Education

The Finnish National Core Curriculum for Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) underscores the child's right to high-quality education that supports their growth, development, and learning. It emphasizes the importance of play, participation, and the development of transversal competences, which include cultural competence, interaction, and expression. Integrating media literacy into ECEC involves:

• Encouraging children to express themselves through various media forms.
• Promoting critical thinking by discussing media content with them.
• Fostering safe and responsible media use habits.

Activities to Foster Media Literacy in Daycare

Incorporating media literacy into daycare activities can be both educational and enjoyable. Here are some practical examples:

1. Digital Storytelling: Children can create simple digital stories using tablets or computers. They can draw pictures, take photos, and narrate their stories, which helps in understanding narrative structures and expressing creativity.

2. Media Exploration Sessions: Organize sessions where children explore different media types, such as children's magazines, educational videos, or interactive e-books. Discuss the content with them to enhance comprehension and critical thinking.

3. Safe Internet Practices: Introduce basic concepts of online safety through age-appropriate games and discussions. Teach them about personal information and the importance of not sharing it online.

4. Creative Media Projects: Engage children in projects where they can create their own media content, like a class newspaper with drawings and short stories or a simple photo collage. This encourages them to think about how media is produced and the messages it conveys.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Digital Media in Preschool

Digital media, when used appropriately, can offer several benefits in early childhood education:

Advantages:

• Enhanced Learning Opportunities: Interactive media can make learning more engaging and cater to various learning styles.

• Development of Digital Skills: Early exposure helps children become comfortable with technology, a crucial skill in today's world.

• Access to Diverse Resources: Digital media provides access to a wide range of educational materials that can enrich the learning experience.

Disadvantages:

• Screen Time Concerns: Excessive use of digital media can lead to reduced physical activity and impact health.

• Exposure to Inappropriate Content: Without proper supervision, children might encounter content that is not suitable for their age.

• Impact on Social Skills: Overreliance on digital media may affect the development of face-to-face social interactions.

It's essential to balance digital media use with traditional play and ensure that content is age-appropriate and educational. By actively engaging with children during their media interactions, educators and caregivers can maximize the benefits while mitigating potential drawbacks.

In conclusion, introducing digital media in preschool should be done thoughtfully, with a focus on developing media literacy, ensuring safety, and promoting a balanced approach to technology use.

Children and Digital Media

 Media Education and Media Literacy

The present digital environment brings children in contact with media during their early years so media education and media literacy become vital building blocks for early childhood education. Through media education children learn responsible media comprehension methods and content generation techniques but media literacy provides tools for analyzing digital content in an analytical manner. MLL (Mannerheim League for Child Welfare) states that essential goals for early childhood media education should include safe media usage guidance and teaching children how to decode media messages as well as fostering their creative digital activities. Teaching children during early stages helps them develop fluency with digital platforms while also teaching them how to make secure platform choices.

Educational establishment should incorporate Media Literacy instruction during Early Childhood programs.
The educational use of digital tools in safe conditions obtains direct alignment from the Finnish national core curriculum which guides Early Childhood Education and Care. School professionals should teach media literacy through discussions about digital content along with internet safety protocols and by using interactive digital tools that support learning activities. During video watching children can learn about media message purposes through simple critical questions like “Is this real?” and “Who made this?” The combination of small practical actions forms a basis for responsible usage of media.

Activities for Teaching Media Literacy in Preschool

Several activities in daycare settings enable early childhood learners to build their digital media competencies.

Little learners utilize Book Creator and Puppet Pals to produce their digital stories alongside their story narration. Children use cameras to capture pictures which they analyze as messengers of determined messages. Children learn basic internet safety through pretending to be virtual explorer characters while playing simulation games for safety education. Children can produce videos for expressing their thoughts during basic video recording projects.

With Fake vs. Real game students examine both edited photographs and genuine pictures to develop their understanding of how to criticize media content. Educators routinely publish their creative activities that deal with media literacy education through social media platforms under the hashtags #mediapedagogy and #digitallearningforkids.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Digital Media in Preschool

The educational use of digital media generates various advantages for early childhood education but educators encounter multiple difficulties when integrating it into their curriculum.

 Advantages:

• Interactive learning through engaging content.
• Digital media helps students develop digital abilities as well as creative thinking skills.
• Supports collaboration and problem-solving.
• The educational platform delivers numerous diverse learning materials to learners.

Disadvantages:

• Children who spend too much time looking at screens tend to keep themselves from physical movement.
• Risk of exposure to inappropriate content without proper supervision.
• Reduced face-to-face social interactions.
• Over-reliance on digital tools for entertainment.

Educators along with caregivers need to merge digital education with conventional play-based activities for achieving balanced child development in early childhood settings.

Group Discussion and Blog Post The task required our group to explore digital media in preschool and we recorded a brief video to summarize our findings. Users can find the video at our group’s blog together with our thoughts and discussions. Our team published unique blog entries about this subject while offering remarks on other teams' writings to develop wider discussion across the field. Early education about media literacy demonstrates the need to teach digital skills at an early age alongside maintaining proper media usage in children’s lives.