Optus Digital Thumbprint teams up with Hoops 4 Health to keep young people safe online

Keeping young people safe and informed online is extremely important, and programs like Optus Digital Thumbprint play an essential part in promoting healthy habits in the digital age.

In the lead-up to the Supercars Darwin Triple Crown, one of the key moments of the Supercars calendar and the home of the Indigenous Round, Optus Digital Thumbprint ambassador Chaz Mostert teamed up with First Nations-led youth organisation Hoops 4 Health to help deliver essential support.

Hoops 4 Health is a Northern Territory-based organisation focused on engaging and educating young people and providing opportunities for positive change. It does this by running basketball-led workshops that promote quality of life improvements, mental preparedness, strength endurance and calmness.

With Chaz Mostert attending one of the organisation’s sessions in Darwin, Optus Digital Thumbprint and Hoops 4 Health joined forces “to talk to kids about how they can spot the signs and keep each other safe from online bullying and build safe habits online,” Chaz said.

“According to eSafety’s research, 75% of Australian children report that they were most recently cyberbullied by someone known in real life, most commonly by a friend. With First Nations young people experiencing some of the highest levels of bullying in the country, it’s a reminder we all need to remember to act with kindness towards others, step up and speak up,” Chaz added.

The workshop revolved around cyberbullying and supporting young people to build the skills they need to stay safe online, mixed with the engaging basketball-inspired way of teaching Hoops 4 Health champions.

“I’m really proud to support Optus Digital Thumbprint. It’s a free program helping young people and families stay safe online, deal with things like cyberbullying and scams, and build confidence in the digital world,” Chaz said.

Chaz will be our special guest at the Digital Thumbprint Virtual National Event for Bullying No Way Week, 19th August. Primary school students will learn about being kind and respectful online, how to seek help if they or a friend are a victim of cyberbullying, and get to ask Chaz questions about his experiences on the race track.

We’re also back in Darwin for the week from 31 August. Our facilitators will be in various schools educating around 1,500 secondary students on digital safety topics including Gen AI, scams and cybercrime, and cyberbullying.

For any school unable to participate in these opportunities, we also offer digital interactive workshops for primary and secondary students, covering topics from staying safe on games and apps, to Gen AI. These are an always on opportunity and like all Digital Thumbprint workshops, are free for schools and students.