B5 CONSULTANCY
Schools, Colleges and Businesses
Whilst sport is a primary focus of our business the lessons we learn in that environment, the experience we have and the messages that we are so passionate about, apply to each and everyone one of us.
Smartphones dominate our discourse, Google defines much about our reputation and social media infiltrates our private lives. We are therefore passionate about getting our messages to as many schools and colleges as possible.
We have delivered to groups aged as young as 8 up to adults, where the tone and messaging is starkly different but the aim - to develop behaviours which are risk averse, respectful and defensive - are the same.
Primary Schools
By law, children are not entitled to use social media Apps until they are 13. This is because the local laws (usually in California) of the Apps prevent those companies from processing our children's data until they are old enough to properly consent.
​
Our sessions with primary age children encourage kids to be patient, be kind and be safe.
​
There is a depressing clamour for primary age children to get onto Apps like TikTok and Snapchat so we use fun and interactive sessions to try to persuade them that they should wait as long as they possibly can.
​
The be kind and be safe antra is crucial because they will be experiencing online messaging before long and poor decisions about what they send, and to who, could have significant real world consequences.
​
We also deliver parent sessions which help parents to better understand social media, how these algorithm-based Apps work, and what measures parents can put in place. Our most important message for all families is - talk talk talk to each other.
​
Secondary Schools and Colleges
It is so important that we have honest conversations with our young people about digital communication. Creating an online legacy during your teenaged years can have a huge negative impact on your career whilst destructive online behaviours, particularly in relation to sexual messaging and image sharing, can have disastrous impacts on all involved.
​
We speak from personal experience - having advised young men and women who have been impacted - and also from Leigh's personal journey as a victim of online harms.
​
The behaviours we discuss - being risk averse, respectful and defensive - are designed to help build towards a culture which is healthy. As parents we fear so much the online predators and strangers who can cause destruction but, if we don't do everything we can to create a positive culture closer to home, then we are ignoring the most common risks to our young people - themselves and their peers.
Businesses and Graduates
We are often asked to speak to businesses and their employees - not just in relation to safe behaviours online - but also on matters relating to resilience where Fraser Franks and Leigh Nicol are able to share their personal journey.
​
The same safe cultures that we talk about within football clubs and college environments are crucial in a work environment. Our daily personal communications impact our mental health, our sense of self and our reputations (both personal and company).
​
Ensuring safe behaviours across staff may head of HR issues and conflicts, offers support to staff members and ensures that staff are aligned with and understand the company's social media policy. Starting a healthy conversation about social media use and protections is a good start.
If you would like us to work with your school, college or business then please get in touch - info@b5consultancy.com
