‘Social Media, Media and Sex’ Parent Workshop

Justine Finn. Courtesy photo.

Hawaii Preparatory Academy welcomes Justine Finn, director of Relation-Shift, for a free parent workshop—”Social Media, Media, and Sex: Opportunities, Solutions, and Challenges Facing Kids and Teens and What Parents Can Do” on Wednesday, Feb. 8, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the schoolʻs Gates Performing Arts Center (Upper Campus).

All community members are invited to attend the interactive workshop, which will run about 90 minutes.

“Teens in the United States spend an average of nine hours a day on a screen, not including for school or homework,” said Finn. “Socializing, exploring identity, and dating often occur between texts and social media, raising new challenges and positive opportunities.”

As young people begin engaging in romantic and intimate relationships, many experience violence, abuse and harassment, said Finn.

How can parents guide, empower and mentor their children to engage in healthy media and relationship behaviors?

Finnʻs workshop will reveal what children are learning about sex, gender and relationships from social and traditional media, and will provide parents with strategies to address common problems (and opportunities) facing their children and communities.

Finn founded Relation-Shift at the Harvard Innovation Lab after receiving the 2016 Harvard Graduate School of Education Entrepreneurship in Education Award. Relation-Shift works with middle and high schools to address relationship and sexual violence amongst middle and high-school aged youth.

For the past 10 years, Finn has worked to advance the equality of women and men, focusing on creating inclusive workplaces and school cultures and developing the capacity of young people to engage in healthy relationships.

Finn facilitates classes, workshops, and seminars across the country on gender, media representation, and the prevention of sexual and relationship violence and bullying.

For more information, visit www.relationshiftproject.com, or call (808) 881-4002.