Safer Internet Day takes place on Tuesday 7 February and in Portsmouth, the city's University and Council have joined forces to help keep young people safe from online violent political extremism, hate crimes, misinformation and cybercrime.
The two organisations have been the UK lead on Project Orpheus (Offline and online Radicalization Prevention Holding back Extremism and Upholding Security). The EU-funded project worked with young people and professionals supporting them to tackle the risk factors that can lead young people towards violent extremism.
The project provided training and support for youth workers, teachers and other professionals working with children and young people. The University of Portsmouth's Cybercrime Awareness Clinic co-developed two training programmes in collaboration with project partners from Portsmouth City Council's Hidden Harm and Exploitation team and partners in Belgium, France and the Netherlands. The training programme are available for download from the Project Orpheus website.
It's hard to tell what's real and what's not these days, images, video and information is so easily manipulated. This makes it even more crucial for young people and the professionals who safeguard them to be aware of the possible online threats.
Over 400 young people in Portsmouth and surrounding areas were engaged in project. They took part in 'safe space' sessions, where they could discuss topics and address grievances they couldn't talk about anywhere else. They also received cyber awareness training to increase online safety and build resilience to emotional manipulation and grooming.
Dr Annie Kirby, Research Associate from the Cybercrime Awareness Clinic, said: "Safer Internet Day is such an important opportunity to promote the use of digital technology in a safer and more responsible way.
"We put children and young people's voices at the heart of the project and encouraged them to shape the online safety support that they receive. It is especially important to establish and maintain active dialogue with young people to ensure that young people's voices are heard and acted upon, helping to prevent polarisation and social alienation, two risk factors for violent extremism."
We put children and young people's voices at the heart of the project and encouraged them to shape the online safety support that they receive. It is especially important to establish and maintain active dialogue with young people to ensure that young people's voices are heard and acted upon, helping to prevent polarisation and social alienation, two risk factors for violent extremism.
The four-year Project Orpheus launched in 2019 with eight partners from the UK, Belgium, France and the Netherlands, funded by the European Union Commission Intereg2Seas.
Dr Vasileios Karagiannopoulos, Director of the Cybercrime Awareness Clinic, said: "It's vital that young people are vigilant when using digital devices and accessing information online and through their phones. It's hard to tell what's real and what's not these days, images, video and information is so easily manipulated. This makes it even more crucial for young people and the professionals who safeguard them to be aware of the possible online threats."
