The Near North District School Board is ensuring its students are safe online.
On Friday, the school district announced it’s teaming up with the Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P) to provide resources for parents and students during Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week.
Parents are invited to a Zoom presentation that will speak directly to the emerging risks and trends seen through the C3P’s operation of Canada’s tipline to report online sexual exploitation of children – Cybertip.ca.
These trends include an 81% increase in reports of online child abuse and exploitation since the start of COVID-19, content children and youth are exposed to online, contact with others online and the creation and sharing of online material, and the loss of control of that material.
NNDSB says in a time when children are online more than ever before, it is crucial that parents talk to their kids about online safety.
Through developmentally appropriate methods for children (ages 8-12) and youth (ages 13-17), parents will learn how to help their kids understand what to do when they see harmful content, and how to ‘flip’ conversations so that kids feel supported, not scrutinized.
Parents can also learn how to talk to their kids about these difficult topics with confidence.
During Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week students and teachers will begin to explore other resources provided by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection.
Through a generous donation provided by the Kenora Sexual Assault Centre, all NNDSB students will be receiving booklets published by C3P regarding safety habits, healthy vs. unhealthy relationships, how to set boundaries, getting out of uncomfortable situations, and seeking help from a safe adult.
Elementary and secondary teachers will also gain free access to online resources, lesson plans and videos that provide researched, evidence-based tools they can use to build the confidence and competence our students need to navigate the virtual world safely.
To register, simply send an email here and the Zoom link and password will be provided to registrants by next week.
The presentation takes place on November 18, from 6:30-7:30 p.m.