The Digital Wellbeing Communities Hub was formed to encourage interdisciplinary research on digital approaches to social wellbeing and connection. The goal is to explore how technology can be leveraged to enhance and support young people’s sense of belonging and social connection.
We invite you to connect with us to join our ongoing discussions and explore potential partnerships. Your expertise could contribute significantly to advancing this important area of research and practice. If you're interested in collaborating, we'd be keen to hear your thoughts on how we might work together.
Full symposium program now available!
You can download a copy of the symposium program here in PDF format.
Key aims
To build on the interdisciplinary foundations of digital education, educational psychology, mental health and wellbeing, human computer interactions and digital ethics.
Collaborate on a key research question: How do we safely and effectively capitalise on young people’s engagement with technology to optimise their social connections and belonging?
Leverage technologies such as video games and smartphone apps, subjected to best practice standards of ethics and safety, to deliver real outcomes that enhance social connection among Australian young people.
Be driven by advanced computational methodologies to achieve scalability and personalisation of solutions, harnessing the power of machine learning, learning analytics and affective computing.
What do we mean by digital wellbeing communities?
Digital technologies offer an exciting range of opportunities for young people to connect and interact. Smartphone apps, online video games and social media are all second nature for this population and each offers engaging approaches to building social skills, inclusiveness and a sense of belonging. In a world where loneliness and isolation are increasingly reported, it is imperative that we seize any opportunity to support young people’s wellbeing through familiar and accessible platforms.
Smartphone apps, online video games and social media are all second nature to young people and each has the potential to promote wellbeing as well as strengthen resilience against more serious mental health issues. For example, digital video games can offer age-appropriate, adaptive and enjoyable means of developing social capabilities and collaborative skills via role playing, building cooperation and confidence. Smartphone apps can offer non-intrusive and real-time support for monitoring socioemotional wellbeing and social patterns, as well as personalised feedback and recommendations for connecting socially. Each of these initiatives, however, also carries with it a significant security and privacy risk, and a demand for evidence-based support to demonstrate effectiveness.
Our dedicated Hub seeks to explore and capitalize on the innovative opportunities presented by technology for young people. Emphasizing the paramount importance of safety, privacy, and a robust evidence base, we aim to contribute valuable insights to the academic discourse on youth wellbeing in the digital age.
Initiatives
Over the past 3 years, we have:
- Launched the Hub via a series of workshops that have provided a discussion space for interdisciplinary researchers to develop innovative digital approaches to our mission
- Created interdisciplinary working parties to develop several small projects which have demonstrated proof of concept/viability of digital tools or platforms to address the needs of young people feeling isolated or disconnect
- Linked with potential industry partners and key stakeholders to support projects
- Facilitated connections between cross-university researchers in this space, external partners and potential GR students
Themes
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AI for Youth Social Connection
Harnessing AI to enhance interpersonal skills, social bonds, and ethical engagement.
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Gaming for Belonging and Wellbeing
Using interactive gaming environments to foster inclusion, belonging, and mental health.
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Tech-Enabled Social Support in Education
Digital tools and platforms that strengthen peer networks and wellbeing in academic settings.