Youth charity, Whitelion, is challenging everyone to put down those phones, back away from technology and try living in the ‘real world’ for 48 hours by signing up to ‘Social Lockout’, agreeing to lock themselves out of their social media channels for 48 hours, whilst raising money and awareness for disconnected youth. We've come up with '48 Things to do in 48 Hours' to help you resist the urge to back onto social media. 

Even five years ago, this wouldn’t have seemed like such a big ask, but nowadays people are ‘joined at the hip’ to their social media networks and in some cases this can genuinely create FOMO, particularly for our youth, leading to higher levels of depression and anxiety. (APS Stress & Wellbeing in Australia Survey 2015).

Step 1: Save the padlock image below 

Step 2: Post the image to your social media accounts with a short post tagging 3 of your friends to take the challenge with you! (e.g 'I'm doing Social Lockout, I challenge you to go without too. Donate to get us back online: http://www.sociallockout.com.)

Step 3: Your friends must accept the challenge or make a donation! 

All of Australia must then raise a cumulative total of $200k to then all be bailed out from ‘Social Lockout.’

The money will go to Whitelion who help thousands of vulnerable young people a year, offering mentoring, education and work opportunity programs to give our young people who have ‘given up’ a new purpose in life. Whitelion gives young people at risk the courage to choose a better future. 

The ‘Social Lockout’ campaign is part of Whitelion’s most important fundraising campaign, Bail Out which provides a unique and real opportunity to step into the shoes of a young person that has been disconnected from our community due to abuse and neglect, drug addiction and poverty.  To get involved, participants (known as 'inmates') are required to 'register' online and 'raise' bail to secure their 'release'. 

About Whitelion

Whitelion supports disadvantaged young people to live more positive and fulfilled lives.


Some shocking Australian statistics Whitelion has worked tirelessly toward changing are that:
• There are 46,187 substantiated child protection reports each year

• There are over 50,000 vulnerable young people in Australia

• There are an estimated 32,400 young people between 12-24 years who are homeless and on any given night in Australia one in 200 people are homeless.

Whitelion was established in 1999 by founder and CEO Mark Watt, who recognised ''that a lot of young people within the youth justice system were very disconnected, isolated and needing extra support to help them break the cycle of disadvantage and not repeat their offending behaviour.

This is achieved through role modelling, mentoring, employment and indigenous programs, outreach services, and through prevention programs run in rural and metropolitan communities. Past research shows 90% of offenders do not reoffend after completing the Whitelion mentoring program.

Each year in Australia there are more than 46,000 child protection cases, almost 36,000 young people in out-of-home care and 14,500 young people in the court system.

Whitelion’s mentors come from all walks of life in the community including business people who see a very real need to help.

After vetting and training, mentors make a commitment for a 12 month period of mentoring with a young person.