About BIK Youth participation activities

Youth participation activities are at the heart of the new BIK Youth programme.

Using co-creation methods, young people will work with other stakeholders to develop online safety guidance, learning and campaigning materials, and contribute to decision-making processes to help create a better internet.

Over time, we'll build and publish a collection of youth participation activities on the BIK Youth site allowing you to both see the outputs of the youth panellists' work, and adapt the methodologies followed for use in your own youth participation settings.

Please check back often for the latest scenarios.

 

Developing youth participation activities

In previous years, European youth have put forward a Youth Manifesto, identifying key principles essential to creating a better internet for the future:
 
  • Young people want support and education about the internet – for everyone. 
  • They want to be able to protect their data and privacy online. They want terms and conditions that are simple to understand.
  • They want access to good quality and reliable content online.
  • They want an online world free from bullying, racism and intolerance, while being able to express themselves freely online.
  • They want young people to be able to participate in the internet and have an equal say in how it is shaped and what services it provides.
As part of the ongoing Better Internet for Kids (BIK) Youth Programme, European Schoolnet is exploring various youth participation activities, enabling young people to highlight priorities and co-create possible solutions. 
 
Read on to find out more, and let us know if you have your own youth participation activity you would like to share!
 

 

Activity 5: Organisation of a youth "deep dive" session: Understanding the mind-set of youngsters

Youth panellists from across the Insafe network of Safer Internet Centres (SICs) in Europe got together to prepare a "deep dive" session during the recent Safer Internet Forum (SIF), held in Brussels, Belgium on Tuesday, 20 November 2018. Their aim was to identify a contemporary online issue for young people and work together in finding a solution that reflects the youth point of view. The resulting idea was to utilise methods of critical thinking to let adults take a glimpse at the online world through the eyes of young people.

 

Activity 4: The Digital Youth Forum – an inspiring event for young people

The Digital Youth Forum (DYF) is an event designed for youth, by youth and about youth. Hosted in Warsaw, Poland, it takes the form of a conference that focusses on online safety and creative and innovative uses of new technologies as an alternative to risky online behaviours. It is organised as a one-day event, consisting of three 90-minute sessions (each with five presentations), each followed by 50 minute breaks for exploring the exhibition area. Three editions have been already been organised by the Empowering Children Foundation in the framework of the Polish Safer Internet Centre (SIC). Last year, a total of 450 participants attended the event, 400 of which were teenagers aged 14–17.
 
 

Activity 3: Developing an online media platform for Bulgarian youth

Involving young people in online content creation is a great way to develop their digital and media skills, while also minimising exposure to online risks and promoting positive and responsible online behaviour. The Bulgarian Safer Internet Centre (SIC) has been working on a project to do just that.
 
 

Activity 2: Digital Leaders - a peer-to-peer model

Peer-to-peer education is a great way to educate others about staying safe online. As part of the UK Safer Internet Centre (SIC), Childnet has created a Digital Leaders Programme for primary and secondary schools. The aim of the programme is to train up young people to become "qualified" Digital Leaders in order for them to educate others in their community about staying safe online.
 
 

Activity 1: Campaigning for an online world free from bullying, racism and intolerance

In preparation for the 2017 edition of the Safer Internet Forum (SIF), youth panellists from across the Insafe network of Safer Internet Centres (SICs) in Europe were invited in to identify one key safer/better internet principle, and work together, shape and implement one youth-driven solution. In response, the youth panellists decided to create a peer-to-peer campaign, with the aim of promoting an "Online world free from bullying, racism and intolerance".