July 19: Connected Everywhere, Close to Nowhere
how society shapes the way children and young people see themselves, each other and the world they live in
Our children have never had more ways to communicate. With instant messaging, video calls, social media and group chats, they can reach their friends at almost any time of day. They are constantly connected, constantly updated and rarely more than a few seconds away from another conversation.
Yet, despite all of this technology, loneliness among young people remains a growing concern.
The reality is that being surrounded by digital interaction isn't the same as feeling understood, accepted or truly connected to the people around us. While technology can strengthen friendships and bring people together, it can also leave young people feeling under pressure to always be available, worried about being left out or unsure where they can have the deeper conversations that really matter.
Today we discuss why constant online connection doesn't always protect children from loneliness, how meaningful relationships differ from digital interactions, and what parents can do to help their children build the kind of connections that support confidence, belonging and positive mental health.
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🔔 coming up on The Work Edit:
Rats, carrots and sport!
coming up on Cultural Calendar Club
12 Months of live, inspiring, entertaining talks events, made financially accessible for all organisations
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International Self Care Day: Self‑Care is not negotiable.
Friday 24 July 2026
12:00 13:00
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In this 60‑minute webinar, we’ll dismantle the myth that self‑care is a luxury or an indulgence. Once again, we’ve been sold short-term, capitalist quick fixes—like scented candles and bubble baths—as if they could patch over much deeper, systemic problems.
Real self‑care is far less glamorous and far more powerful. It’s about boundaries. About rest. About tuning into our natural rhythms and creating the space to truly know ourselves.
We often frame self‑care as something we do for others—role‑modelling healthier behaviours, being better colleagues, parents, partners. And yes, that matters. But the deeper truth is this: we don’t need to earn rest or justify our wellbeing. We need to normalise self-love without attaching it to usefulness.
Self‑care is a political act. It's about reclaiming what we all deserve—without guilt—and refusing to burn out while trying to fix the very systems that make it so hard to care for ourselves in the first place. Because access to self-care isn’t equal, and recognising that is part of the work.