New interactive workshops help kids stay safe while gaming

With kids spending so much time online for both their schooling and fun time, the need for online safety education has never been greater. Optus is helping to support young people by teaching the foundations of safe behaviours with two new interactive workshops especially designed for children in grades 3-4.

Part of the Optus Digital Thumbprint Program, the interactive workshops support young people to participate safely online, ensuring everyone has all the tools they need for positive, responsible and authentic experiences online.

Designed to deliver digital literacy education in engaging and fun way, these free, 15-minute, workshops can be run by a teacher, as homework or via remote learning and help kids understand why digital safety is important.

Teacher tested

According to Helen Maisano, Director, Group Sustainability at Optus, the workshops were developed after consulting primary school teachers about the best way to engage middle primary school aged students.

“Online gaming is a part of life for many kids these days. While there are lots of age-appropriate games out there, kids still need to be aware of how to game safely while online.

“That’s part of the reason we’ve made these new workshops interactive. Kids are attuned to gamified content and actually prefer an interactive format to learn.

“It’s clear that kids this age enjoy interactive online learning,” she says. “The workshops are structured so kids can learn while having fun. They can earn badges as they progress, so it makes the experience more gamified and exciting.  There’s also before and after quizzes give teachers a snapshot on individual progress and see whether any issues may need more discussion,” Helen says.

Why is digital safety important?

Kids seem to spend much of their lives online. They learn online and enjoy their recreational time online through gaming and other activities. Unfortunately, many don’t understand the importance of being careful about their personal information and how to be safe online.

Without the right skills, kids may be at risk of privacy breaches which can result in identity theft or fraud even while gaming. They can also inadvertently start chatting and trading with strangers and this can present risk.

“Kids may assume that it’ll be okay and that they’re just interacting with friends or others their own age but unfortunately some people are very good at using technology to communicate with kids without them realising they’re older and often adults. In fact, some 30% of Aussie gamers are adults,” Helen says.

“This opens up a whole new level of risk for kids such as image-based abuse, stalking and cyber bullying. Kids can also be exposed to inappropriate information that’s not age-appropriate or offensive.

“Through our new interactive workshops for kids in grade 3-4, we’re introducing children to practical, foundational steps that they can take to be safe online. The workshops are gamified with motivational badges for completing workshops and correct answers, so it makes it fun to learn. All it takes is some awareness and a few pointers to mitigate the risks and enjoy life online safely,” Helen says.

Interactive workshop details

Staying Safe on Games and Apps workshop covers:

• How to safeguard their personal information in apps and games and why this is important
• How to respond to unwanted pop-ups and requests for in-app purchases
• How to respond if someone they don't know in real life tried to chat to them in apps and games.
• What they should not share online
• How photos, videos and other posts on social media can ‘go viral’

Keeping My Information Private Online workshop covers:

• How to keep personal information safe online using secure passwords
• The consequences of not keeping personal information safe online
• What to do if your online accounts have been hacked
• How to recognise safe websites
• Where to get help if needed 

Workshops at your child’s school

The workshops also help parents to understand online digital safety issues and learn tips on how they can keep their kids safe online.

“We provide parents of participating schools with guides so that they can help support what the kids have learnt at home.

Parents who are interested in having these free workshops at their child’s school can enquire here.

Digital Thumbprint is endorsed by the eSafety Commissioner as a Trusted eSafety Provider.

For more information about the program, head to www.digitalthumbprint.com.au

At Optus, we want to help create a more inclusive and optimistic future for all. Through our digital enablement strategy, we’re helping young people thrive in today’s world and have confident and positive interactions with each other and digital technology. Our goal is to provide every young child in need, access to digital education and access to free internet connectivity.  We are providing essential tools through programs like Digital Thumbprint.

Register for our workshops here:

https://www.digitalthumbprint.com.au/digital-workshops/

Find more about The Office of the eSafety Commissioner:

https://www.optus.com.au/connected/families/meet-the-esafety-commissioner

If you feel a young person in your life needs help and support, please let them know that Kids Helpline is there for them at any time. Find out more at https://kidshelpline.com.au/or dial 1800 55 1800.

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