The Harmony Project
Healthy Tech HabitsParents and schools are increasingly concerned about the research linking excessive screen and social media use with negative outcomes for young people.
The Federal Government introduced legislation in 2024 to ban social media for young people under 16, based on evidence from parents, educators, psychologists and child welfare advocates.
The School’s Harmony Project is an initiative aimed at helping young people reduce their overall screen usage and empowering them to use technology in more healthy ways.
Parents embraced Crowther Centre’s webinar, Boys and Screens, to learn about the effects of mobile phones and social media on young people and how to support their children to make good choices.
Parents, staff and student leaders were also surveyed this year so that we have a clear understanding of where we stand on this issue.
Research by Commonsense Media shows that the average teenager now spends over eight hours every day on screens (for reasons other than schoolwork), far exceeding the Australian Government’s National Guidelines.
A total of 43% of children aged 8-12 years have a smartphone, rising to about 95% by the teen years. For many families, the decision about when to get a smartphone and the negotiations about rules and boundaries are frequent causes of stress and arguments.
As a school, we cannot ignore the research regarding the negative impact of excessive screen time and exposure to social media. We are in the privileged position to guide young people to find ways to create a more harmonious relationship with technology.
There will be more updates in Term 2.
Kristen Molloy
Associate Head, Literacy and Engagement
The Crowther Centre