Sessions to help students in life online

STUDENTS in Ballarat were empowered last week with knowledge on how to increase their online safety.

On Friday 13 February, year 5 to 10 students from Phoenix P-12 Community College took part in special sessions that addressed online activities as well as support services.

The workshops covered issues such as cyberbullying, generative artificial intelligence, protecting personal information, and practising safe online behaviours.

Year 9 students Oska Dye, Jayde Gerlach and Alex Gregg found the sessions helpful.

The trio said they would take what they had learnt to equip themselves and others.

“Being able to know how to report something,” Jayde said. “Like reach out if anything ever makes you upset.”

Alex said: “To apply the idea of being safe online, and not interacting with things that can harm you and ruin your life and career… If your gut tells you something’s ever wrong, just stay true to yourself.”

Oska said technology impacted everyone.

Digital literacy teacher James Nichols said the online landscape was forever changing for students.

“I think it’s really important that students have the opportunity to learn how to deal with situations like cyber bullying when they arise, and be able to identify the contacts that can help them,” he said.

The sessions were delivered as part of Optus’s Digital Thumbprint Program.

In February, more than 1500 primary and secondary school students across five Ballarat schools were expected to take part in the program’s digital safety workshops.

Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison, a former teacher whose electorate takes in Phoenix College, attended the sessions.

She said education was important to prepare young people for online.

“To be able to say to kids like Oska and Jayde and Alex that there are support structures out there if you experience this and there are ways that you can address unacceptable behaviour online is really important to me,” the MP said.

Optus local general manager Jayson Grool said the program’s content was available free online.

More information can be found at digitalthumbprint.com.au