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
In our continued commitment to ensuring quality and inclusive education for every child, we’ve taken our advocacy to a new level by empowering the next generation to lead the conversation. In partnership with The Gambia Teachers Union, we recently convened the Foundation’s Young Ambassadors for a vibrant day of engagement dedicated to promoting the right to education for all. The event brought together passionate students from selected senior secondary schools across Region One, including St. John’s School for the Deaf, to explore what it truly means to make education inclusive, equitable, and accessible to every learner.
The Steve Sinnott Foundation is proud to celebrate the inspirational winners of the 2025 Seeds of Hope for a Better Future competition, a global initiative supported by UNESCO that brings together creativity, community, and a shared commitment to peace and sustainability. This unique project invited schools across the world from nursery and primary through to secondary and high school to explore the values of peace, cultural understanding, and care for the planet. In the face of climate change, young people were asked to tell their stories through art, performance, and digital creativity, highlighting how small seeds of action can grow into powerful movements for hope. The results have been extraordinary. Schools in France, the UK, Gambia, Haiti, and Kenya have been recognised for their outstanding contributions, with projects ranging from community gardens and sculptures to dance performances and illustrated stories. Each winner has shown how young voices and imagination can nurture peace and sustainability in ways that inspire us all. The full Awards Ceremony can be watched linked here: S eeds of Hope For A Better Future Awards Ceremony 2025 Highlights from the Winners Oak View Primary and Nursery School (UK) created Faces of Feeling, a collection of joyful sculptures already exhibited in a local gallery. Judges praised their work as supporting the wellbeing of others and embodying the idea of children as true “Seeds of Hope.” St Joseph’s Senior Secondary School (Gambia) painted Campaign for a Sustainable Banjul , reflecting real-world climate action in their city. The judges described it as “a most deserving and robust winner.” In France , the Jardin d'Enfants des Nations Unies (United Nations Nursery School) won hearts with Wind of Peace , where 5-6 year olds combined drawings, paintings, and tree planting to champion reforestation. Lyng Hall Secondary School, Coventry (UK) collaborated with Henley Green Primary and the UK Literacy Association to produce The Heart Shaped Hole – an innovative and metaphorical take on Seeds of Hope. Earlsdon Primary School, Coventry (UK) impressed with Primary Plot , a project that included gardening with the visually impaired, reflecting inclusivity and sustainability. A remarkable cross-collaboration between 21 schools across West Yorkshire, Essex, and Tower Hamlets (UK) resulted in Lights, Camera, Score , an ambitious combination of animation, music, and storytelling. CIMA Community School of Hope, Haiti shared Konbit - a video of dance and solidarity, inspiring villages to work together for peace and dignity. Daraja Academy, Kenya presented an ambitious and optimistic project integrating sustainability into everyday school life. Celebrating Creativity and Peace This year’s competition was judged by an impressive panel of artists, writers, and cultural leaders including Sir Antony Gormley, Edmund de Waal, Dame Liz Forgan, Hugh Quarshie, and Rathna Ramanathan. Their collective expertise highlighted the quality and depth of the entries, each of which showed how art can be a powerful tool for global understanding and change. The Seeds of Hope initiative is part of UNESCO UK’s Arts and Culture for Peace programme, first launched in 2022. It has grown from earlier collaborations such as the Coventry Young Ambassadors’ Islands of Peace Japanese Garden , opened in 2021 a living reminder that seeds planted in communities can continue to flourish. Highlights from the ceremony can be found here at this playlist Looking Ahead As Ann Beatty, UNESCO ASPnet UK National Coordinator , shared: “The quality of entries was extraordinary. We are delighted at the response to this amazing initiative in collaboration with our international partners.” And in the words of judge Jannette Cheong : “Young people around the world understand well the value of peace and tolerant relationships between cultures. Their creativity is an inspiration to all of us.” At The Steve Sinnott Foundation, we believe that education is the seed from which hope grows. The Seeds of Hope competition is a shining example of how young people through creativity, compassion, and collaboration are already shaping a more peaceful and sustainable future. You can access the full online awards presentation here: Seeds of Hope For A Better Future Awards Ceremony 2025
The journey to strengthen the well-being and success of learners in The Gambia continues with a renewed commitment to guidance and counselling in schools. By August 14th 2025, we have successfully trained 140 educators across 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑 & 𝟒 under our Guidance & Counselling Programme. A programme designed to equip educators with the skills to support students’ academic, social, and emotional development. Region 3 Teachers Complete Level 2 Training On Wednesday, 6th August, thirty teachers from Region 3 (North Bank Region) began a three-day Level 2 Guidance and Counselling training at the Christian Council in Kanifing. This programme built on their earlier Level 1 training in Farafenni, with a focus on deepening their capacity to serve as school-based counsellors. The training concluded with a certificate presentation ceremony, recognising the teachers’ commitment and marking an important step in their professional development. These certificates symbolize more than an achievement; they represent each teacher’s readiness to provide psychosocial support, guidance, and mentorship to learners across their schools.
