Topic: Courageous and Ethical Leadership Across Sectors
Panellists:
Ms Gabby Dlamini Associate Anthropology Lecturer, Nelson Mandela University
Ms Lebogang George Legal consultant specialising in Digital Law, Tumbo Scott Law Firm
Mr Zamo Mbele Director South African Depression and Anxiety Group
Facilitated by Ms Naledi Mokoena Educational Psychologist and Lecturer
The advent of COVID-19 has brought about massive and sudden changes to our daily lives. Due to the deeply entrenched, structural inequalities in our country, further exacerbated by apartheid spatial planning, South Africa experienced one of the harshest lockdowns in the world. These regulations resulted in those with access to technology spending drastically higher amounts of time behind a screen. Children are no exception to this, with the closure of schools for the period of five months, and the fact that many schools moved fully online during that period further amplifying the reliance on technology and social media to feel connected to their loved ones. But what does that mean for young people when social relations and interactions are necessary for healthy adolescent development?
In order to shed more light on this important topic, this webinar explored:
- What is the impact of this “new world” on the social skills of young people and could this lead to a generation who battle to interact with others in person?
- What burden has this pandemic placed on the mental health of young people and what impact does that have on their development into adulthood?
- Is the reform of the educational system with more emphasis being placed on the development of soft skills and mental health the answer?