Doorcerts helps Ashfield students understand positives and pitfalls of social media

Doorcerts Manufacturing UK, of Brierley Park Close, Stanton Hill, has funded two days of Positive Social sessions at Quarrydale Academy, Stoneyford Road, Sutton.

Run by social media experts Mark and Kerry Saxby, Positive Social is a charity which exists to help young people survive and thrive in today’s social media world.

Its vision is to work with every secondary school in the UK to empower students to use social media positively and equip them to avoid the pitfalls.

After seeing Mark deliver a workshop, Sarah Armson, from Doorcerts, wanted to help local youngsters to learn more about staying safe online.

Sarah, who attended Quarrydale herself, said: “Young People’s mental health is something close to my heart. I’m also a youth support worker in a busy Mansfield youth club and a mother-of-three, so I see the dangers on a regular basis.

“The sessions Positive Social offers to secondary schools are fantastic, and I know they get good feedback from pupils and school staff. I’m proud Doorcerts is playing its part in the local community.”

Typical sessions from Positive Social include information about how social media can impact their behaviour and affect their self-worth. Another session focuses on how what people post on social media can negatively affect their future employment.

Mark said: “It was always our dream to get local businesses supporting Positive Social. So when Doorcerts offered to fund sessions in its local secondary school, we thought it was wonderful.

“What our sessions do is make people think about the dangers of social media and what sort of information they are freely posting online. I’m proud we are helping to make a difference.”

Feedback from the Quarrydale sessions has been positive, said Richard Lane, school behaviour manager and head of Year 7.

He said: “Overall, they really enjoyed the sessions. There were a lot of great tips that pupils – and parents – can learn to use. We’re grateful to Doorcerts for helping to make it happen and to Positive Social for the amazing work they do.”