Custom Training

Details

Shape the Sky offers custom training sessions for organizations seeking to better understand today’s digital landscape. The goal of our custom training is to strengthen understanding of why children must be guided differently in a world shaped by smartphones, social media, and artificial intelligence. During the session, we identify categories of social networking, digital platforms, and AI-driven tools that adults should be aware of when working with youth.

All training sessions are led by licensed and nationally certified counselor and founder of Shape the Sky, Ryan Klingensmith.

Description

“Kids often have the skills to use technology, but don’t always have the wisdom to use it well. Adults have the wisdom, but may not always have the knowledge to keep up. My goal is to connect knowledge with wisdom.”
— Founder, Ryan Klingensmith

In this training, we bring knowledge and wisdom together. Adults bring experience, judgment, and values, but may not be fully aware of today’s rapidly changing digital world—including social media trends and emerging artificial intelligence tools that shape how youth think, communicate, and create. This training provides up-to-date, practical information tailored to your organization’s needs, so you know what to watch for and how to guide children toward responsible, informed use of smartphones, social media, and artificial intelligence.

Note: this training doesn’t fulfill NBCC Credit Hours.

Learning Goals 

Learning goals can be customized to meet the specific needs of your organization, drawing from Ryan’s experience and expertise. Sample learning goals may include:

• Participants will be able to identify how youth explore, consume, and share mental health–related information through technology, social media, and digital platforms.
• Participants will learn what resources are available to support conversations about mental health in today’s digital and AI-influenced environment.
• Participants will learn how to set clear smartphone expectations and understand when and how to monitor a device appropriately.
• Participants will understand current social media trends and digital behaviors, including how algorithms and emerging technologies can negatively impact mental health.
• Participants will learn how to use Shape the Sky tools and frameworks to promote healthy, safe, and responsible digital behaviors.
• Participants will gain insight into how growing up has changed for today’s youth in a world shaped by smartphones, social media, and artificial intelligence.

Learning Topics

Depending on your organization and your request, the presentation could cover: 

• How being an adult has changed as a result of smartphones and artificial intelligence
• Understanding current youth digital culture
• How artificial intelligence is shaping how youth communicate, create, and consume content
• Youth exposure to sexualized or developmentally inappropriate content through popular apps
• Sexualized content on apps popular with elementary-aged youth
• Age restrictions and developmental mismatches across apps, platforms, and AI-powered tools
• How algorithms and AI-driven recommendations influence what youth see online
• How to start meaningful conversations about technology and artificial intelligence
• Prevention-focused strategies for healthy digital and AI use
• Using a Technology Contract to set clear expectations
• Taking a social media pledge to reinforce responsible behavior
• How to set expectations for device use, social media, and AI tools
• When to monitor a device in an increasingly complex digital environment
• Access to reliable online resources for continued learning
• Creating digitally responsible youth in a world shaped by technology and artificial intelligence