NAKHON SAWAN

Thailand

Training the Youth on Social Media usage

Training the Youth on Social Media Usage | Thailand

In 2020, the Diocese of Nakhon Sawan in Thailand sent us a project proposal for a sixday training programme on social media usage targeted at young people In this interview, Fr. Thomas Thossapon Narinruk tells us more about how the programme teaches the youth media literacy skills and help them gain knowledge on the dangers of social media and misinformation.

Could you tell us more about the human impact the project will have on the community?

The project raises the awareness of young people by showing them how spreading fake news can harm others. Most of the time, young people are only interested in using social media for entertainment, consuming content, and bullying

What can you tell us about the community where the project will take place?

The community is located in the Diocese of Nakhon Sawan, which covers the upper central part of Thailand The project will run activities for 2,500 students from five Catholic schools in five provinces: Nakon Sawan, Petchabun, Phitsanulok, Lopburi, and Uttaradit. There is a diversity of students and teachers from different beliefs, culture, language, and social classes

What are the main objectives of this project?

We see that young people are stuck to social media, especially when it comes to games, entertainment, beauty content, and bullying, which may hurt the bullied person We also see that they lack some ethics regarding how they ought to live their lives The Thai education system seems to lack the process of instilling actual core values of life in young people, and Catholic schools must take over this task.

Is there an anecdote you recall from these last months?

How do you see the situation in your community once the project is implemented?

Schools participating in the training programme will be able to set up regulations for students on how to use social media in correct ways, such as choosing the right channel, managing the time spent on social media

As Catholics, having social media expertise or a good understanding of social media and its effects has made a difference in how we communicate with the young generation. They also come to realise our goals, hopes and good wishes for them.

One day, a male student of grade 5 has come up to Fr. Ongart Kaeser, the key organiser and resource person, and told him: “Father, now I know so from now on I will change myself I will only play the game within a limited period of each day I will take care of my health so that I can get good grades in my studies ”

Why do you think PSPF should continue to support these types of projects?

The project allows us to manifest what ordinary people need right now and provide knowledge and up-to-date information on social media This is also important as social media has been a great tool during the Covid-19 pandemic. Social media can also be used for sharing words of encouragement, motivation, and inspiration

Published on 30/06/21