Coronavirus remote learning: How schools can combat online bullying
Tech giant Google has partnered with an anti-bullying movement to give students free access to crucial wellbeing resources after a frightening increase in online bullying. Here’s how your school can get involved.
Inner South
Don't miss out on the headlines from Inner South . Followed categories will be added to My News.
Remote learning has seen a sharp rise in cyber bullying as students are forced to spend more time online.
And social distancing means many children and teens no longer have access to crucial supports to ensure they’re leading healthy digital lives.
But tech giant Google has partnered with youth-led anti-bullying movement Project Rockit to provide grants for schools to access cyber bullying webinars.
Data from the eSafety Office shows reports of online bullying have spike by 40 per cent during the coronavirus pandemic.
Since it launched in 2006, Project Rocket has delivered face-to-face resilience and leadership programs to more than 450,000 students in more than 500 schools across the country.
Now the South Melbourne-based project has created a range of online ‘webinars’ aimed at helping students form supportive and connected online communities.
Co-founder Lucy Thomas said the grants would provide 4000 students from 40 Australian schools with access to the webinars to “continue their learning through unpredictable times”.
“We are very passionate about ensuring that all young people have access to effective and meaningful education to combat online hate and use tech for good — no matter where they live,” she said.
“Engaging young people to lead if often the missing piece in cyber safety education and we’re here to change that.”
Google Australia’s government affairs and public policy senior manager Samantha Yorke said the tech giant’s investment would help boost support for students across the country.
“This new investment will help … ensure (students) are receiving the best wellbeing advice throughout the current challenging circumstances,” she said.
“We hope schools will embrace this grant and can use this opportunity to provide empowering wellbeing education to their students.”
Educators can get their school involved by heading to projectrockit.com.au/schools-grant/
MORE:
JEWISH GROUP LEADERS ALLEGEDLY AVOIDED QUARANTINE