helping families to thrive in the digital age
WHAT WE DO
PAPAYA promotes wellness and improved mental health in adolescents by helping young people achieve a healthy balance with technology.
We believe everyone, especially teens, have the right to understand the impact that screens have on their well-being.
We conduct workshops with the goal of educating parents and students on the connection between smartphones and the mental well-being of adolescents. We offer practical solutions to help students and families achieve a healthier relationship with their devices through either delaying the smartphone or establishing good tech boundaries.
We aim to support parents to consider:
Delaying the introduction of smartphones.
Delaying the introduction of social media.
Establishing good tech boundaries and promoting safe internet use.
We aim to support children and adolescents to:
Understand the impact that screentime (especially social media and excessive gaming) can have on mental health and well-being.
Make a proactive choice to delay their use of social media or limit their time spent on it.
Develop happy, healthy relationships, hobbies and skills that improve their well-being.
OUR STORY
PAPAYA was launched 6 years ago when Dr. Susie Davies, a university GP, noticed the poor mental health of students. She discovered their mental health problems were often linked to their relationship with technology, especially excessive social media use and gaming. Despite limited evidence at the time, she became convinced that tech use in adolescents was having a negative impact on young people's mental health.
Meanwhile, her daughter was urging her to buy her first smartphone, leaving Dr. Davies torn between saying ‘no’ and not wanting her daughter to feel left out. She shared her concerns with other parents, and together they founded PAPAYA to promote healthier tech habits and encourage parents to delay their children's first smartphone together.
Since our launch in 2018, we have been working with local schools and parent groups. In the first 5 months of 2024 alone, we've held workshops for over 1000 children, with 94% of participants being motivated by the workshop to reduce tech use. We've also conducted parent workshops in 12 schools, assisting them in delaying smartphone use and helping families achieve a better tech-life balance
“AS PARENTS WE ARE POWERFUL, ESPECIALLY IF We stand together'“
PRE-ORDER OUR NEW BOOK
THE HEALTHY SELFIE by dr susie davies
Dr Davies is a leading voice in the movement to protect children from the harms of smartphones and social media. Full of highly practical exercises and wisdom, this book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the risks associated with social media and protect their mental well-being.
Clare Fernyhough, Co-founder, Smartphone Free Childhood
This is the book I’m going to hand my kids as soon as they become teenagers. It’s the print equivalent of a cool, kind and wise big sister, guiding young people through the complexities of growing up in the smartphone-era.
Daisy Greenwell, Co-founder, Smartphone Free Childhood
SIGN THE PLEDGE
For those with older children who already have smartphones, consider signing the SAFER INTERNET PLEDGE to help encourage safe boundaries.
OUR VISION
We have a window of opportunity to change the way we approach technology for our children. Our goal with PAPAYA is to empower both parents and children to make informed decisions about their tech usage and consider delaying the smartphone and social media. One of the top reasons we often hear for parents granting unrestricted smartphone and social media access to young adolescents is the fear of social exclusion.
However, at PAPAYA, our mission is to unite groups of parents and children to make proactive, positive choices regarding delaying smartphone and social media. We invite you to re-evaluate your view on technology in childhood and consider starting this important conversation as a family and as a community.
The concept is straightforward: as parents within a school community, let's stand together and devise solutions to combat phone addiction in our children. Join PAPAYA today and together, let's empower our children to thrive in the digital era.
MEDIA AND PUBLICITY
WORKSHOPS
These are mainly available in the Bristol area but can be delivered further afield upon request.
CORPERATE WEBINAR
We are excited to present a unique opportunity for your organization to enhance employee wellness and support a worthy cause. By donating £1000 or more to our charity (PAPAYA, registered charity no. 1183194), you will secure an exclusive "Working Well Webinar" or “Lets Talk about our Kids and Their Tech'“ led by Dr Susie Davies, a renowned GP, digital wellbeing expert, and founder of PAPAYA.
