Stephen Carrick-Davies has just released a superb report commissioned by the Training Deveoplemnat agency – Munch, Poke, Ping – Vulnerable young people, social media and e-safety. The focus of the research was to consider the risks which vulnerable young people, excluded from schools and being taught in Pupil Referral Units (PRUs), encounter online and through their mobile phones. The aim was to then ascertain what specific advice, support and safeguarding training staff working with these vulnerable young people need when it comes to understanding social media and mobile technology.

Stephen shares that “New social media web has changed the platform to that of an incubator; a place where communication is captured, aggregated, added to, morphed, changed and re-hatched as a new broadcast or ping.” I would agree with this and recommend that more research and training needs to be offered to young people to develop the emotional resiliance and practical skills to manage what information is posted online and to consider the impact on their future professional careers.

“Not all children are the same, that it is beholden on those responsible for introducing new services that they make their privacy setting options simple and easy for all users – and in this regard there are many vulnerable adults who need instruction and support.” Stephen, 2011

MUNCH POKE PING http://www.carrick-davies.com/research/vulnerable-young-people
You tube interview with Stephen conducted by me: http://youtu.be/Bqp6Zi6TDrQ