STORY PREVIEW

2024

Social Media Addiction

eduSOIL

Antrim

MENTOR

Juanita Rea and Rwanda Shaw

Step 1 FEEL

List the challenges or problems in your surroundings (school,neighbourhood etc.) that bothered you.

The issues we discussed were body shaming, youth being insensitive, self-obsession, social media addiction

State the problem chosen to work and why.

The issue we chose to address was social media addiction and used the other issues as minor subtopics because it is very relatable to today's generation, and if immediate precautions are not taken it will inevitably affect future generations. This is defined as when people get too obsessed with social media trying to maintain unrealistic luxury and beauty standards that are unattainable which makes them ignorant towards the world. We chose this issue because it made us feel insecure and inadequate about our body image, worried about the future.

Who were the people affected by the problem? What were their primary concerns?

The people affected are anyone who uses social media but mainly teens as they are impressionable and feel the pressure to fit in. Their concerns were that people are too self-absorbed but also nasty to others for not looking a certain way or their beliefs aligning. People hide behind a screen to put others down. We are affected by this problem because we are using social media. When we hear about the negative impacts on other people, we can relate to it. With the current unrest in Belfast, we can see how negative or false images and messages can easily distress and fear as well as influence violent behaviour.

Step 2 IMAGINE

List ALL the different solutions you came up with.

We had many ideas and discussed writing a song, creating a drama piece, or multidisciplinary piece. We also talked strategies to address social media addiction which include Limit Screen time, practice kindness and compassion by group discussions and being open to others opinions. We wanted to show how we feel through the arts.

Which solution from those listed above did you choose to implement and why?

We chose to create a multidisciplinary piece containing poetry and painting because we thought it would creatively illustrate the way social media addicts behave. We envisioned that when the audience sees our powerful imagery and hears our eye-opening and provocative poetry they will reflect upon their actions. We want those who realise that they are social; media addicts to feel guilty and to then take accountability and make changes to their lifestyle.

Step 3DO

Describe very briefly the process of implementing your solution(s).

To create our poem and painting we created an action plan and decided to first write our poem and then work on the art piece accordingly. We discussed the topics we wanted to be included. We all worked together and Swara and Nandini completed the painting and Snehal and Layla completed the poem. Our artwork is called, “Broken bodies, Shattered Sould”

What was the result or impact of your project?

Everyone agreed that through the project they have made new friends.The project impacted us in many ways. We started off as strangers who became friends who worked together towards a common goal. Reflecting on our journey we see that we demonstrated quick decision making, respect for each other, encouragement and unity. We feel that we have changed in many ways and have reduced our use of social media. The audience saw our art piece and poem on the online showcase, felt that the project was very powerful.

How many people were impacted by your solution(s)?

100

What did the impacted people have to say about your project? Provide 2 quotes or testimonials:

The audience were very supportive and gave feedback like "One of the best message for all kids and parents how we should work in this important issue in today's world. Kids have excellent work showing this through great art work" and "Such a powerful piece of art! So current and relevant for so many of us. And I loved the fact that you're leading by example - after identifying the problem, you've changed your relationship with social media. This is a fantastic example you're giving to all of us. Also, I loved the words and the images, how powerful they were. Well done!"

What challenges did you encounter while implementing your project, and how did you overcome them?

The challenges we faced were overcoming social media addiction and staying focused. We used our superpowers of discipline, teamwork, and mutual support to stay motivated and manage our screen time effectively. During our summer program, it became unsafe for us to meet in person because there were protests targeting our ethnic minority community. We had to meet online to connect with each other and find other ways to complete our project and put it all together.

How long did it take to implement your solution?

MORE THAN 30 DAYS

Which global goals does your story align with?

Good health and well being

Please explain briefly why do you think so?

Our project addresses SDG 3, Good Health and Wellbeing because, through the art work that we make, we are inspiring people to take accountability about their social media usage and make changes for a healthier lifestyle.

Step 4 SHARE

How did you share your project with your school and community? Who did you share your project with? What was their response?

The audience engaged with our work, appreciating the creativity and message behind our art piece, and provided positive feedback on how it highlighted important social issues

Approximately how many people did you share your story of change with?

More than 100

Briefly share your plan to sustain the impact of your project?

We plan to sustain the impact of our project by sharing our artwork and message on social media, collaborating with schools and community groups, and encouraging open conversations about teenage mental health and diversity.

BACK TO HOME