Samaritans has co-created a digital campaign with young people to help them develop skills to look after themselves and others online.
If you’re a young person, the internet can be a great way to connect to others, express how your feeling, or find support around suicide and self-harm. But some of what you see online can be worrying, for example if you come across someone who’s struggling to cope and don’t know how to support them.
That’s why we’ve been working with young people to create a social media campaign to talk about how you can look after yourself and others online.
The campaign was created with a group of young people aged 18 to 25 who all have lived experience of self-harm, suicidal thoughts or of supporting someone else through these experiences. They helped to shape the campaign– letting us know what’s important to them.
We know how effective and supportive online peer support can be. We didn’t want to discourage people from seeking peer support online, but instead advocate for people to post safely in relation to suicide and self-harm.
Oskar, a member of the young people’s lived experience group explaining the aims and objectives of the campaign
Here are some of the key messages we covered together:
Digital citizenship – did you know you can do something about worrying content you see online? Top tips on reporting things that upset you, curating your feed and talking about suicide and self-harm in a safe way online.
Finding safer spaces online – there’s lots of safer places online where you can find support for how you’re feeling. These include online communities, resources, apps and support services run by charities or other organisations. Top tips on what to look out for in a safer online space and where to find support for how you’re feeling.
Supporting someone else online - sometimes you might be unsure if someone is struggling to cope and want to find the words to let them know you’re there. Guidance on identifying the signs that someone might be struggling and on how to support them.
Top tips for staying safe online from young people
- Remember, you’re unique and everyone’s journey is different – try not to compare yourself to others on social media
- Your boundaries are just as important online as they are offline
- Don’t be afraid to take a break - being online is supposed to make you feel better, not worse
- It’s OK to step back after you’ve offered someone support – it’s important to care for yourself too
Do you want to support our campaign?
Our social media toolkit has videos and graphics that you can share online. Help us to get the message out to more young people about how they can keep themselves and others safe online!