How does Body Confidence Affect Online Learning in Today’s Pandemic?
Our webinar on Wednesday, hosted by Martin Staniforth, offered us an introduction to the Dove Self Esteem project. He offered us an invaluable insight into how the ‘Confident Me’ workshops work and how they help young people around the ages of 10 to 14 years. You can watch the webinar above. Check out the Dove Self Esteem website now for their brilliant resources.
You may wonder how self-esteem, body image and body confidence links to access to Education for All. We have talked in great detail in other posts about the digital divide and how many children cannot access distance learning because of it.
But what about the young people who do have access to online learning. How is their access to education affected by this pandemic? We may have a tendency to assume that as long as young people have access to technology and data then they will be fine. But things are never that simple. There can be many obstacles to children accessing education, and we need to listen to them to find out what these are.
Many young people in the UK are learning from home via a laptop, and engaging in ‘Live Lessons’. My son is one of them. I have often watched the teacher tirelessly trying to generate enthusiasm for a topic – to a wall of icons. I mentioned that it must be hard for a teacher to teach to a wall of icons, and asked my son why he didn’t switch on the camera. He confidently told me that for privacy and protection measures it was not allowed. 2 weeks later an email from the school requested that children switch on their cameras to better engage with the teacher. I asked my son about this again, and he told me that no way would he have a camera on for the other kids to laugh at how he looks.
Now many of us adults have been working via video conference for at least several months now, and if were to be honest with ourselves we would have to say that it is a distraction having an image of ourselves on screen all day. “Gosh I look terrible today”, “My goodness I have an annoying twitch”, “look at you yawning again”. We are now confronted with a steam of awareness about how we look and what we are doing, which we didn’t have to think about before. It can be hard for us to adjust and learn to filter it out.
It can be harder for children to do this. Their generation is more aware than ever of how a screen image can be used. They are super aware of how they appear on screen and what others can and probably will do with some one’s screen image. As we saw in the Webinar children are bombarded with images about how people should look. They are subjected to more idealised images per day than any other generation before them.
And now, they have to look at themselves on screen all day?
Is it likely that they will have a stream of negative inner dialogue about how they look? Are they likely to be able to concentrate on lessons, with their self-esteem crashing to the ground around them?
We may not be able to do much at this stage about the over saturation of Images of Perfection that they are subjected to on social media. But we can at least educate them to learn to read these images with more self- awareness. To ask the right questions that will help them to navigate the world they find themselves in.
And this is exactly what Martin does and shows us, in the ‘Confident Me’ workshop. It is the perfect antidote to the trials of how to learn online and navigate the complex world of seeing yourself on the screen as you work, and yet concentrate on a lesson. Or it will help the teachers to understand the reluctance to students switching on their cameras.
The more time young people have to spend online, the more we have to teach them how to navigate the pitfalls, as well, of course as celebrating the benefits.
There are many new areas for teachers to learn about, navigate and find solutions for, now more than ever. A fortiori, being asked to watch themselves in a screen mirror all day, surely Body Confidence is an absolute must to tackle right now.
Here is a link to the Dove Self Esteem website where teachers can find resources to run these workshops and start having an essential conversation with their students.
We hope you enjoyed this webinar, please have a look at the other webinars we are doing, and share them with your network so that your friends can benefit too.
Steve Sinnott Foundation Life Long Learning Webinars (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/the-steve-sinnott-foundation-31041261381)
Thank you for reading, please tell us in the comments bellow – how do you feel about video conferencing? What’s great about it, and what’s your challenge with it?
The Steve Sinnott Foundation • January 19, 2021
On 23rd January at the Cima Community School of Hope (ECEC), the first workshop was held with the first group of students as part of the STEM program. This activity marks a promising start to the program's implementation. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) is crucial for children because it fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity from a young age. It nurtures natural curiosity, helps children understand the modern world, and builds resilience through hands-on experimentation. Additionally, early STEM exposure prepares them for future academic and career success. A total of 20 students participated in this first session. The session focused on a general presentation of the importance of computer programming in today's world. The students were also introduced to the Scratch software interface, an educational tool well-suited for teaching children programming. This initial experience went smoothly and generated considerable interest and strong motivation among the students.
At the Steve Sinnott Foundation, we know that planning for the future is one of the most important things you can do for the people and causes you care about. That’s why we’re delighted to offer our staff and volunteers the opportunity to write or update their will this Spring. Whether you’ve been meaning to get started for years, or you simply need to make a few updates, this is the perfect time to take that important step. Join Our Free Will Writing Webinar To help you get started, we’ve partnered with expert estate planners Octopus Legacy , who will be hosting a free webinar(s) covering everything you need to know about writing or updating your will. Staff & Volunteers 12pm, Thursday 5th March Online via Zoom - https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uvirWft7S12lJUby6oUtnQ#/registration Supporters 12pm, Tuesday 10th March Online via Zoom - https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xxJNZd6ZQYKMOs-2fNz0Gg#/registration During the session, you’ll learn: Why it’s important to have an up-to-date will What to consider when writing or updating your will The different types of will-writing services available How Lasting Powers of Attorney work and why they matter How to claim your free will this Spring This webinar is designed to make what can feel like a complex process simple, clear and manageable. Why Having a Will Matters Having an up-to-date will ensures your wishes are respected and your loved ones are protected. Without one, the law decides how your estate is distributed and that may not reflect what you would have wanted. A will gives you peace of mind. It allows you to: Provide clarity and security for your family Appoint guardians for children if needed Make specific gifts to individuals or causes Ensure your estate is handled efficiently Updating your will is just as important as writing one. Life changes marriages, children, property purchases, or changes in circumstances can all affect your wishes. Claim Your Free Will This Spring As part of this initiative, eligible staff and volunteers will have the opportunity to claim a free will-writing service. Full details will be shared during the webinar, including how to access this benefit. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity. Writing or updating your will is one of the most responsible and caring decisions you can make for yourself and for those you care about. Register Now Spaces are available now, simply register using the link below: Staff & Volunteers - https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uvirWft7S12lJUby6oUtnQ#/registration Supporters - https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xxJNZd6ZQYKMOs-2fNz0Gg#/registration We hope you’ll join us on Thursday 5th March and take this positive step towards securing your future.
In my time as an assistant at The Steve Sinnott Foundation (SSF), one of my research tasks was looking into how the Foundation contributed to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I really believe in the work of the Foundation and I have also been raising funds as I believe that every child must have the right to education. SSF is a UK-based educational charity focused on promoting quality education worldwide. It plays a supportive role in achieving the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially Goal 4: (Quality Education), but its work contributes to several others as well. Here's how the Foundation supports the SDGs: Goal 4 – Quality education (core focus) The Foundation's main mission is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. It supports teachers and educational initiatives in developing countries. It runs programmes like: The Education for All Campaign – advocating for universal access to education. Teacher empowerment projects – providing training and resources to educators in under-resourced countries. Girls' education programmes – encouraging and supporting girls to stay in school and complete their education. Goal 3 – Good health and well-being Through education, particularly health-related programmes, the Foundation contributes to raising awareness about hygiene, nutrition, and mental health. The Foundation has developed a range of webinars to promote health and wellbeing and these can be found on YouTube. Goal 5 – Gender equality The Foundation promotes girls' education, directly addressing barriers that prevent girls from accessing and completing school. It advocates for the rights of women and girls, especially in patriarchal or disadvantaged societies. Goal 8 – Decent work and economic growth By improving access to education and vocational training, the Foundation helps create employment opportunities. Educated individuals have better chances of securing decent work. Goal 10 – Reduced inequalities It supports marginalised groups, including children in rural or conflict-affected areas, contributing to reducing global inequalities in education. Goal 16 – Peace, justice and strong institutions Promotes education as a force for peace and conflict resolution. Supports democratic participation and awareness through educational programmes that foster community engagement. Goal 17 – Partnerships for the goals Collaborates with NGOs, unions, schools, and governments to deliver and advocate for education projects. Builds international partnerships to achieve the SDGs through education. Summary While The Steve Sinnott Foundation's primary focus is on Goal 4, it contributes to many of the SDGs by empowering communities through education, particularly: Gender equality (Goal 5), Health (Goal 3), Economic growth (Goal 8), Reducing inequality (Goal 10), Peace (Goal 16), and Partnerships (Goal 17). The Foundation’s programmes also contribute to the achievement of other SDGs through the power of the provision of education and life-long learning; 1. No Poverty, 2. Zero Hunger, 13. Climate Action. We believe that all of the 17 SDGs are only achievable by ensuring that all children, wherever they are born, deserve the human right of quality education. Over 250 million children are still out of school and the global out-of-school population has reduced by only 1% in nearly ten years, according to the UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report 2024. There is still much work to do in achieving equitable and quality Education for All.
