The click of a mouse, the tapping of a couple keys on a keyboard, or even posting a 140 character tweet might seem like small iterations of the daily grind of the social media age — but those small actions can have huge, lasting consequences, especially on today’s young people.
That’s part of the lesson that hundreds of youth from around the Merritt and Princeton area will learn on May 4 and 5, at the Yes2KNOW Youth Summit — hosted by a variety of community groups including the local RCMP detachment in Merritt.
Kids in grades six to nine will get to leave their math books behind for the day in order to attend the all-day summit, which will feature a number of guest speakers on a variety of topics, including self-esteem, bullying, and healthy relationships — but the lessons are applicable to people of all ages, said organizer Heather Broman, program coordinator at the Merritt community policing office.
Which is why in addition to the two-day summit, the Yes2KNOW conference will also host a “parent and community” session in the evening of May 4, focused on two topics: social media safety, and why people bully others.
“It’s for parents, but it’s also for anyone else in the community,” said Broman. “I’ve seen [guest speaker] Jesse Miller speak myself at a different conference, and he has amazing information for anyone who is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter – any of those platforms.”
The idea of briefing adults as well as kids on social media safety is especially pertinent, given the recent court ruling which awarded an Abbotsford middle-school teacher $65,000 after his neighbor posted defamatory statements on Facebook. The neighbor later said she was simply “venting,” but with her privacy settings set to public, the post was accessible to anyone with a smartphone and an internet connection.
While other cities in the province have hosted Yes2KNOW conferences, this will be the inaugural edition in Merritt.
“Each community decides on what they want to cover in the youth summit,” explained Broman.
With the input of the RCMP, School District 58, Scw’exmx Child and Family Services Society, and the Merritt Community Policing Office, the topics for the two-day conference were mapped out based on issues faced broadly by all young people, and problems specific to youth in the Nicola Valley, said Broman.
In addition to bullying, and online safety, special attention is being paid to aboriginal youth who become involved with gangs at an early age, said Broman. The RCMP will present a discussion on that topic during the youth portion of the summit.
Those who aren’t still in school are welcome to attend the event on Wednesday, May 4 from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m., encouraged Broman. The talks are free, and refreshments will be provided at the Interior Community Services building, where the conference is being held.
