![internet_safety_3 28th May 2009](http://highlandesafety.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/internet_safety_3.jpg?w=238)
The Highland E-Safety Group have spent the Easter hols reflecting on the recent training that has been provided in Highland.
As well as the half-day ‘Internet Safety and Responsible Use’ courses there have been a number of bespoke sessions delivered for a range of professionals and parents. This has included sessions for the following groups:
- Youth Workers / Intensive Support Unit Staff
- Foster Carer Link Workers
- Children’s Residential Home Staff
- Highland Youth Voice Xec Committee
- Youth Work Development Staff
- Health Promoting Schools Officers
- Support for Learning Staff
- Library Service Officers
The above bespoke sessions can last from 1 – 2 hours and comprise of the key issues for children and young people using different ways of communication, gaming, cyberbullying and the internet. These sessions also include what resources and local support is available. These will continue throughout the year on request from individuals.
The multi-agency half-day ‘Internet Safety and Responsible Use Sessions’ have been delivered by CEOP Ambassadors and use the CEOP introductory materials and the Thinkuknow education materials, they are designed for staff working predominantly in school settings who wil be taking E-Safety delivery forward. In addition to the CEOP materials (which have to be used for participants to become registered TUK trainers) the training covers the local perspective, cyberbullying, support for staff, the way our schools are using blogs and wikis and most importantly how to create the right conditions to use the approved resources with young people.
We believe it’s vital to look at the wider context and see how the TUK and Childnet resources can be used across the curriculum and through the training aim to ensure that participants can do this confidently.
Our evaluations of the half day training have been overwhelmingly positive, however it seems that there are still questions to be asked and issues explored, a half-day is just not long enough. To this end our next planned session on the 24th April will include an opportunity throughout the lunch and afterwards for participants to delve into the resources (laptops with internet access provided) and work in small groups to assess how they would use them and what else they need to do to create the right conditions (with the support of other professionals) to take it forward in their school communities.
Myself , Robert Quigley (our newest CEOP Ambassador!) and Jim Henderson have agreed to create a new training event on the 28th May 2009, which will be a full day to ensure that participants can do all of the above and walk away with the tools, skills and confidence to drive the Highland E-Safety Strategy forward. Depending on the outcome of course this full day approach will become the standard framework for all future ‘Internet Safety and Responsible Use’ training in Highland.
For more information about our courses please do get in touch.