Katrina Blowers Talks Social Media

Business

// OUR CHAT WITH KATRINA BLOWERS, CHANNEL 7 SENIOR REPORTER – SHINING A LIGHT ON SOCIAL MEDIA & TEEN GIRLS

Simply put – this isn’t going away. Social Media is arguably one of the most influential platforms on our teen girls. But what is it? It is basically a forever evolving and shifting menu of new ways people can connect to each other online. Now this is a huge thing! But as it has become so commonplace, the challenges of social media engagement are upon us before we realise the impact that they have.

Social Media includes a range of user created content digital platforms. Such as: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok being just some of the current popular offerings. But do you remember MySpace? Have you ever heard of TikTok? Being aware of this changing space of social engagement and influence may seem daunting – but it doesn’t have to be.

We recently chatted with Senior Reporter at Channel 7, Katrina Blowers, about this very topic. Katrina is a mother to a 12 year old girl and the Industry Expert Facilitator for our GSF.Academy Workshop ‘This Social Life’. Katrina was keen to explore Social Media with teens and parents in new ways, that didn’t shy away from the reality nor the potential of Social Media.

My aim is to empower young women to put things out on social media about themselves that will open up a lot of opportunities and that they will look back on and be really proud of.
– Katrina Blowers

Top 3 Tips for Parents trying to find a ‘level’ with their daughters regarding Social Media use

Approaching social media from a fear based, restrictive & punishing approach doesn’t serve anyone, nor open a space for friendly and honest conversations about it in family homes. Discussing social media, its impact and potential with Katrina opens up vivid and creative new ways of approaching how we support, skill and guide our teen girls as they grow up within a digital age. As the GSF team prepares to host Katrina’s social media skills workshop ‘This Social Life’ both in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast we want to share Katrina’s top 3 social media for teen tips for parents.

Katrina’s first top tip reflects the main reason Girl Shaped flames is so excited about hosting ‘This Social Life’. This is because she actively flips the general feeling around the whole topic, Katrina approaches this subject not from a place of fear, but potential for connecting and communicating with your teen girls about social media.

Try not to come from a place of fear. Meet your kids where they are at, talk about what they find fun about being on different social platforms. Ask what platforms they are using, what platforms their friends are using. Why do they like them? Come from a place of curiosity.

Have an open conversation about what they and their friends are posting. Talk about what ‘stories’ they are sharing. Stories are mini snapshots into the daily activities of people and are most engaged with online, they also are the space where people interpret who we are by what do & say. So open up friendly ways to critically think about the stories and content teen girls share.

Get a sense of what celebrities they follow – then follow them yourself. Be exposed to the same messages your teen girl is being exposed to. Follow what she follows. Use the latest shares as ideas to open family conversations about it, just like with any news – talk about it openly to bring new perspective to it.

So rather than approaching it from a fear based resistance, Katrina wants us to take our metaphorical heads out of the sand and face up to this new reality. This reality where social media seeps through so many aspects of our day to day lives and how it is influencing our teen girls in more ways than we may have first realised. Katrina is excited to offer ‘This Social Life’ as a learning and skills development workshop aimed at reframing, reflecting and intentionally engaging with the positive potential that social media presents us with, as well as realistically prepare for the challenges teen girls face online.

GSF.Academy Workshops are offered in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, with ‘The Social Life’ being exclusively offered in each location this year. The team are very excited to be hosting Katrina and look forward to the impact this session will have in the lives of the young women who need it most. To ensure these workshops are intimate and provide optimal learning opportunity and time for teen girls to connect to the female role models and industry expert facilitator we very intentionally cap the groups to 20 girls per workshop. So to avoid you daughter missing out on this unique and industry driven social media skills workshop – book today!