Introducing the Digital Futures Community Connection Series
For young people today, digital life is everyday life. From social media and gaming to learning, creativity and connection, technology plays a central role in how young people grow, communicate and understand the world around them.
But for many parents, carers and educators, supporting young people online can feel complex, especially when technology moves faster than the guidance available to them.
That’s why the Telstra Foundation, in partnership with PROJECT ROCKIT, created the Digital Futures Community Connection Series: a free, evidence‑informed program designed to support families and communities to better understand and engage with young people’s digital lives.
What is the Digital Futures Community Connection Series?
The Digital Futures Community Connection Series is a collection of one‑hour online sessions designed for parents, carers and anyone who supports children and young people.
Each session brings together:
- Insights from the Australian Youth Digital Index (AYDI)
- Expertise from sector leaders and practitioners
- Practical, realistic strategies families can use in everyday life
Rather than offering one‑size‑fits‑all rules, the series focuses on building understanding, confidence and conversation, helping adults feel better equipped to support young people online in ways that are informed, compassionate and effective.
Why community education matters
Research consistently shows that while digital spaces can offer powerful opportunities for learning, creativity and connection, they can also come with challenges, including impacts on wellbeing, sleep and mental health.
Young people tell us they want adults to understand their digital worlds, not just police them. And evidence from the Australian Youth Digital Index reinforces the need for a whole‑of‑community approach – where families, schools and communities all play a role in supporting safe and positive digital participation.
By pairing in‑school delivery with community education, the Digital Futures program recognises that supporting young people online doesn’t stop at the school gate.
Upcoming session: 21 April
Navigating screens, sleep and boundaries, without the guilt
The next session in the Digital Futures Community Connection Series takes place on 21 April and focuses on one of the most common challenges families raise: screens and sleep.
This free online session features Dr Moira Junge, CEO of the Sleep Health Foundation, alongside Digital Futures partner PROJECT ROCKIT. Together, they’ll explore how families can approach screen use, bedtime routines and digital boundaries in ways that are supportive, realistic and grounded in evidence, without escalating conflict or guilt.
Participants will come away with:
- A clearer understanding of how screens affect sleep
- Simple routines that can work in real family life
- Supportive ways to set boundaries around devices
- Conversation starters that help young people understand expectations, not just follow rules
The session is suitable for parents, carers and educators looking for practical guidance they can use straight away.
Join the conversation
The Digital Futures Community Connection Series is part of the Telstra Foundation’s commitment to building a safer, more inclusive digital future for young people, by ensuring the adults around them have the tools, confidence and understanding to support them.
The 21 April session is free and open to the community.
