Keynote Speaker
Dr Sharna Olfman
Dr Sharna Olfman is Professor of Clinical and Developmental Psychology at Point Park University, the Founding Director of the Childhood and Society Symposium, and the Editor of the Childhood In America book series for Praeger Publishers.
Her books include The Sexualization of Childhood (2008), Bipolar Children (2007), Child Honoring: How to Turn This World Around (with Raffi Cavoukian, 2006), No Child Left Different (2006), Childhood Lost (2005) and All Work and No Play (2003).
Dr Olfman is a member of the Council of Human Development, and a partner in the Alliance for Childhood. She has written and lectured widely on the subjects of child development, parenting and children’s mental health.
Conference Highlights
Real Kids in an Unreal World: Building Resilience and Self Esteem in Today’s Children
Presented by Maggie Dent
Maggie is an author, parenting and resilience educator and inspirational presenter. She has a wide background of experience including ABC radio, palliative care, education and counseling that she brings to her work and is currently running seminars nationally and internationally that increase awareness in the importance of building personal and professional resilience.
Maggie currently runs her own independent business called “Esteem Plus” that aims to inspire, encourage and assist people of all ages to take a positive step forward in their lives in order to maximise human potential.
Children need many essential experiences to build the competencies that will help them manage life – the good, the bad and the ugly. This common sense, practical model will reassure those who work with children that what they have always known to be important in the early years of a child’s life – are still important even in our chaotic modern world! The 10 building blocks model that Maggie has created will resonate with anyone who works with families.
Paradigm Storm: Global Change and the Wellbeing of Children
Presented by Adam Blakester, Paradigm Play
Adam is a social change strategist, working to improve social wellbeing in ways that are environmentally and economically sustainable. With qualifications originally in commerce and law Adam’s study and work has grown to encompass social leadership, community psychology, consciousness, human development and wellbeing.
Children, families, communities and societies are experiencing unprecedented shifts and change, grappling with the emergence of global culture and systems along with environmental shifts, carbon light economics, population growth, social inclusion, and issues of emotional and mental health and wellbeing.
The volume, velocity, veracity and vastness of these changes are compounding into a ‘paradigm storm’ – a period of numerous simultaneous and significant paradigm shifts towards a healthier and more sustainable culture. At the very same time there are exacerbating ‘dinosaurs’ in the midst – collapsing, unsustainable and unwell facets of culture and systems.
This presentation will explore this social-environmental – economic ecosystem and how it influences childhood. This will include emerging global culture and systems (including technology) and pressing global needs (climate change, sustainability, information/communication technology, social inclusion, migration, emotional and mental health and wellbeing).
Childhood and the wellbeing of children is shaped by – and also shapes – this paradigm storm. So too this is true for adults, communities and organizations. The key message will be a call to action towards a more inclusive, sustainable and wellness oriented society with strong inclusive global values.