Updated: 26/01/17 : 06:26:22
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Sligo school to celebrate Safer Internet Day

Taunagh National School in Riverstown, Co. Sligo are set to celebrate Safer Internet Day, an EU wide initiative to promote a safer Internet for all users, especially young people, on the 7th of February 2017. This will be the fourteenth year of the event and this year’s theme is, ‘Be the Change: Unite for a Better Internet’.

Safer Internet Day is promoted in Ireland by Webwise the Internet safety initiative of the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) and aims to educate and raise awareness about protecting children online, so that they can responsibly enjoy the benefits of the Internet, without compromising their safety and privacy. 

As part of their Safer Internet Day school campaigns, the Sligo school students will be creating their own awareness campaigns using resources from Webwise and the school will also implement internet safety tips to students through the ‘safer selfie’ campaign.

Last year over 67,000 young people and 463 schools and organisations celebrated Safer Internet Day across Ireland. This year, as well as student activities, a large focus of the Safer Internet Day campaign will be to enable parents to effectively create a better Internet by maintaining an open and honest dialogue with their children about their online lives. To enable them to do this, Webwise will launch a new dedicated online Parenting Hub: Webwise Parents and Parenting Handbook which will provide parents with easy access to practical advice and information to help address their concerns about the various issues facing their children online. Featuring expert advice from professionals including John Sharry (Child and Family Psychotherapist) and Colman Noctor (Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist with St Patrick’s Hospital Dublin), topics will include:

 

·         Screen Time: Advice for Parents           

·         At what age should I allow my child use social media?

·         Social Networking Tips

·         Dealing with Cyber-bullying

·         Talking to your child about Online Pornography

·         Sexting: Talking Points for Parents

 

Safer Internet Day 2017 will be promoted by Webwise with a national public awareness campaign which will include a media launch event in Facebook HQ attended by education and technology industry professionals, parents associations, youth workers and school students. Jennifer O’Connell will host a live panel discussion during the event which will feature well-known Irish parents and parenting experts.

Webwise is also calling on students to enter the ‘Safer Internet Day Snap Competition’ by simply sharing their Safer Internet Day celebration snaps using the hashtag #UP2US. Entrants will be in with a chance to win  a Webwise Camera Kit which includes a GoPro camera, camera bag, selfie stick and more!

A full list of local Safer Internet Day activity from across Ireland is available using the Safer Internet Day interactive event map available on http://www.saferinternetday.ie/events/. Schools are encouraged to share their plans for Safer Internet Day 2017 and upload their own Safer Internet Day activity onto the event map.

For further information and full competition terms and conditions, check out www.saferinternetday.ie, webwise.ie or Webwise.ie/parents

 

Join the conversation at:  facebook.com/Webwise, @Webwise_Ireland on Twitter or #WebwiseParents

 

 

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