February 21, 2020
New toolkit available for download featuring 25 online safety resources
Recognising the concerns around the safety of students on the internet, the Government of Australia has released a new toolkit to support schools when teaching internet safety. The free resources have been tested and are designed to be proactive and reactive when it comes to internet safety issues. They are intended to complement existing resources rather than replacing programmes that schools may already have in place.
Online safety issues are often discussed around this time of year as schools participate in the annual Safer Internet Day event. This initiative has grown rapidly to become an international event during which schools revisit their policies and procedures.
More information on the Safer Internet Day campaign is available here:
“ By involving them early, we can foster sound habits and establish the resilience and critical thinking they will need if a stranger with malicious intent tries to solicit their image online – or if they are tempted to share a compromising photo of a friend online. And we have seen this can happen with children as young as three, ” Julie Inman Grant, the Commissioner of eSafety, Australia
The toolkit comprises four core elements: Prepare, Engage, Educate and Respond. Schools can use the Prepare resources to complete an initial self-assessment. This helps schools develop an action plan for future progress with targets and goals.
The Engage and Educate resources help students, staff, parents and carers learn how to respond to different online safety scenarios. These scenarios cover different devices, as well as topics such as online gaming, social media addiction and mental health. The resources have been designed to support a broad age range.
Finally, the Respond resources are intended to help schools when issues occur. This process involves developing clear policies and procedures that all members of the school community are aware of.
To access and download these materials, please follow this link:
