Online dangers and how to keep family safe workshops in Dannevirke

Caroline Gyde is the education manager at Tararua REAP. Photo / Leanne Warr

By Leanne Warr

For many parents, it’s hard enough to protect their children from danger outside the home.

But these days, those dangers can happen inside the home as well, through the internet.

It’s something that has prompted workshops designed to help enlighten parents on what they could be facing.

Tararua REAP education manager Caroline Gyde says the Informed and Empowered workshops were started by Rob and Zareen Cope, who own Our Kids Online, a company that provides resources and teaching on cyber safety.

Workshops teach families about the dangers online and what they can do about it. Photo / NZME

In 2020, due to Covid restrictions, the couple were unable to take their workshops around the country.

They decided while they were stuck at home that they would put an online presentation for adults together.

Caroline says they also have a school programme for children from Years 1 to 13.

REAP, together with Dannevirke Lions, got the money together to pay for the programme to be given to all the schools in the northern Tararua District.

She says many of the schools have started running it with their children, and REAP also has permission to run workshops until August, mainly for those parents with children in early childhood education, or those who were unable to make the school sessions.

REAP is currently running two-hour sessions, with one on June 6 at 10am, or for those who can’t make the day session, June 14 at 7pm.

The presentation includes the possible risks and pitfalls children can fall into when they have access to the internet, and when it’s not being monitored.

Caroline says the presenters, who have both written books on mental health, also talk about the effects of technology on the developing brain.

“They talk about how things have changed since 2007 when smartphones came out, giving children instant access to anything and everything on the internet.”

While she found the first part “pretty horrific” she felt the second half was very useful as it talks about the different filters that can be put on the phone, the internet “and just ways you can reduce their time on devices.”

“It wasn’t that many years ago that your kids could be bullied at school or on the way home from school, but once they got back into the home, they were safe.

“Now with technology our kids can’t get away from the bullying, because it’s online. Once upon a time we could protect them from a lot of it, but we can no longer do that.

“I believe we all need to be aware of the dangers of children being online and ensure we are having the conversations with them around those dangers.”

Caroline says it’s a must for all parents, grandparents and people who work with children.