| Families need Internet self-help they can trust |
| Tuesday, 22 June 2010 15:06 |
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Leading family information service Sheffield Information Link (SIL) says that families and young people need to be 'internet-savvy' when turning to the web first with their questions and concerns,
The comments come after the publication of a report by young people's support charity, Get Connected, which claims that Britain's youngsters are overwhelmingly turning to the internet rather than family and friends to look for help. The Connected Generation Report, which was published this month, claims that nine out of ten young people with emotional problems, relationship issues, sexual issues and housing problems now prefer to go on-line for advice. SIL claims that the growing trend among young people is to be expected and needs support. Sharron Baroudi, Chief Executive of SIL, commented: "It's easy to see why people turn to internet sources – it can be easier than having an awkward conversation, and you don't have to wait for opening hours to access support. However, it's really important to have reliable, trusted sources of information – many websites contain both opinion and fact, so it can be confusing when trying to get to the truth. Advice and information services, whether on line or face to face, need to be accessible and supportive of young people so that they don't get even more stressed about a problem."Get Connected commissioned Maximiles Surveys to conduct a poll of 1,000 under 25s in the United Kingdom. A key finding was that only 5% of young people aged 13 - 25 would speak to their father and only 33% would turn to their mother to discuss a problem. However, SIL claims that the trend is not restricted to young people and that advice for all members of the family needs to be accessible and appropriate. Sharron Baroudi said: "What the report found about young people is no different to how adults are using the Internet to find help. The Internet intercepts with so many aspects of our lives that we should not be surprised it is being used in this way. That's why we developed the ask Sid website, www.asksid.net. It is the most comprehensive source of information for families and young people in Sheffield, and a really easy way to find the services and help families need. However, we always advise people to double check the source of anyone providing advice or services." The Get Connected report also suggests that young people are increasingly unsure about where to go for help and who to trust. Andrew McKnight, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Get Connected, said, "As a society we have become increasingly reliant on the internet as a first point of reference for a lot of information, and it is crucial that we make Britain's young people aware of exactly where they can turn to for dependable information and support". Sharron Baroudi concurs with this view: "It's hard for young people to ask face to face questions about bullying, drugs, sexual relationships and body image issues because the topics are so difficult. In our experience young people check out the internet first to get their facts straight and to gauge how common an issue is. There's nothing worse than thinking there's only you dealing with a specific problem. Once they have more information or read about someone else's experience, they are more likely to talk about it in person with someone they can trust. "The young people of Sheffield have a safe and assured source of online information in the ask Sid website and can feel totally confident in trusting the information. We check and cross-check our entries regularly. While we may want young people to turn to families and friends more often, other sources of information can be helpful, which is why SIL exists for all members of the family. The Internet can be a great source of information - young people and families simply need to be signposted to the right websites." Sheffield mother, Lorraine Townsend is an advocate of SIL's on-line help line. "As a mum I've used AskSid help with health issues with my children. Although we've been given stuff to read by others, at fraught times it's been really helpful to have other information sources that offer advice on managing illness," said Lorraine.
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