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Pupils from Cowes, Nettlestone and Newchurch primary schools have completed their GoFISH training and are now fully equipped to defeat the Cyber Sea Monsters and help other pupils at their school stay safe online.
The 12 year five and six pupils have become the first Cyber Ambassadors on the Isle of Wight and are helping the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Youth Commission to pilot this new peer-led scheme to tackle concerns about staying safe online.
Inform and educate
The aim of the Cyber Ambassador scheme is to enable skilled-up, informed pupils to educate and offer advice and support to their peers so they can make the most of the internet and stay safe. Cowes, Nettlestone and Newchurch are three of nine primary and seven secondary schools to have volunteered to take part in the pilot.
At the training on 4 October the children learned the sneaky tricks that cyber sea monsters Selphire (selfies) Meanataur (cyberbullying), Angler (searching), Info-Eator (privacy) and Bi-Diphorus (befriending) get up to and the ways they can help put a stop to them and the harm they cause.
PCC: “We all need to understand the risks”
Police and Crime Commissioner, Michael Lane said:
“Cyber security for all ages really matters. Our lives are increasingly played out online, with younger people in particular making the most of the benefits that technology can bring. However those who wish us harm are also increasingly using technology, they are clever and we all need to understand the risks these people and their activity creates.
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Acting Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, Flick Drummond, who attended the training on the Commissioner’s behalf, said:
“This is an excellent programme which I hope will be rolled out through all schools in Hampshire, Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. Our children need more resilience than ever before to combat the ever increasing online threats.”
Image: Cowes School Ambassadors: Jack, Fin, Abby and Sumaiya – Newchurch School Ambassadors: James, Kai, Ellie and Tia – Nettlestone Schol Ambassadors: Emma, Caleb, Arthur and Evie
