Edward has joined staff, students, and a team from Google, at Cedars Academy in Birstall, awarded a ‘Good’ rating by Ofsted in its recent inspection, for the ‘Be Internet Citizens’ workshops the company is hosting for students, in partnership with the Academy.
The workshops focus on encouraging young people to have a positive voice online, while staying safe. The internet is a space where anyone can have a voice, be part of a community and generate positive social change, but many people will have also come across misleading, offensive or hateful content that they sometimes feel powerless to challenge. The ‘Be Internet Citizens’ programme focuses on how to spot negative behaviour online, how to escape social bubbles; understand concepts as scapegoating; emotional manipulation and Us vs Them; and how to use video online to build positive communities and counter radicalisation first hand. This includes gaining an understanding of the differences between free speech, hate speech and fake news.
After the visit Edward said: "It's always great to visit the Cedars Academy in Birstall and particularly on this occasion, following its well-deserved 'Good' rating by Ofsted, to join some of the 'Digital Citizen' workshops being run by Google in partnership with the Academy for Year 10 students.
With more and more young people engaging online and through social media, it is more important than ever that they know how to make the most of the internet in a way which is safe, where they act as responsible internet citizens, and where others are respected and unacceptable behaviour or language online is called out. This important initiative does just that, and I was impressed by the enthusiasm and engagement of the students and those running the sessions. It is great that this initiative by Google is benefiting students locally at the Cedars in Birstall."