Understanding students’ knowledge and confidence when using digital technology means that schools, including kura and educators, can be confident they are addressing issues that are relevant for young people. Below are some resources you can use to explore young people’s knowledge about the online environment and set expectations and culture around the use of digital technologies and how these are to be used in school.
- Student Voice Guide(external link) help educators and schools to explore young people’s knowledge about the online environment as well as the online issues and challenges they face.
- Student User Agreements(external link) has been designed by Netsafe to help promote a culture of online safety and can support discipline processes if necessary.
All young people can be exposed to harms online. However, some groups are more vulnerable than others, for example, rainbow youth or youth with neurodevelopmental disorders. For these communities the Internet can be a vital resource to connect with likeminded individuals, explore their identities and reduce feelings of isolation. It is important that educators are aware of the increased risks that young people and vulnerable communities may be exposed to online.
Social-emotional safety skills
It’s important to prepare youth for safer, more positive experiences with people as they take on more independence, both online and offline.
- Empowerment Trust: Teenpower Violence Prevention Toolkit(external link) was developed with the help of teachers and students to support teens with social-emotional strategies. It includes conflict resolution, consent, advocacy, boundary setting and strategies for staying safe online.
- Empowerment Trust’s Fullpower Healthy Relationships Resource and Programme(external link) was developed with and for teens and adults with intellectual disabilities. It provides practical tools to build resiliency and to prevent bullying, violence and abuse.