Peer friendships and caring social connections with teachers, family and other community members are centrally important to students’ wellbeing and experiences of school.
The latest report from Our Voices – Social Connections: In-person and Online – highlights the significant role of friendships and a sense of belonging for young people as they navigate adolescence and the transition to high school.
While social media is not without its pitfalls, it can facilitate social connection and is an important part of many young people’s social lives, with them using it to feel connected to “friends, family, others, everyone, and the world.”