At the beginning of the summer we made an announcement. We were creating a new workshop, thanks to generous funding from CIBC .We didn’t know what it would be called, or when exactly it would be ready.
All we knew was what we had heard: we need to talk more about online bullying. Our Ending Bullying workshop had an online component, but we just didn’t have enough time to explore what it really means to be an online citizen in 2013.
Youth were eager to talk about the online lives. Privacy, bullying on social media sites: these are issues Yukon youth grapple with every day. It’s our job here at BYTE to provide a safe forum and encourage conversation about these issues.
So we did it. Last week we tried out our new Digital Citizenship workshop in both Haines Junction and Whitehorse.
We decided to call it Digital Citizenship instead of cyber bullying — what we’ve become accustomed to hearing — on purpose. It was important for us to step out of the traditional narrative of looking at why cyber bullying happens and how we can stop it. Instead, we took a more holistic approach: how can we live on the Internet in the healthiest way possible?
“The internet is so intertwined the lives of youth,†says Chris Rider, BYTE’s Executive Director. “We wanted to look at it from their perspective, and help them develop into positive citizens, both online and off.â€
We developed the workshop to address everything from developing empathy to online privacy to raising awareness about our digital footprint.
What’s a digital footprint, you ask? Good question.
Tanyss Knowles, our Community Outreach Coordinator and one of the lead facilitators in last week’s workshop, explains that it’s basically the idea of how we act the Internet, and the trail of personal information we’re leaving behind. Everything we do online, from filling out a form, sending an email to a friend, posting a photo– even the simple act of visiting a website or using a search engine – leaves a trail.
The workshops explores the importance of having a positive footprint, especially now, as our digital lives begin to intersect more and more with our personal lives.
Our facilitators were blown away with how engaged and educated the youth were last week.
“Honestly, it went really, really, well,†says Tanyss. Participants were talking a lot about their own personal scenarios. Many of the youth already knew a lot about the subject, allowing for dynamic debate and critical thinking.
“At the end of the workshops, youth wanted it to go on longer,†she says. “That’s a good sign. It means were filling a niche. “
We’re excited about the momentum we have with our new Digital Citizenship workshop. We’re excited to hear more what Yukon youth have to say about their relationship with the Internet. And we’re excited to be a positive force in such a critical time, when legislation is being created and communities are trying to find ways the Internet can be a safe and constructive tool for youth.
Make sure you check out next months’ TEDxWhitehorse where our ED, Chris, will be giving the talk Re-thinking the Internet and guiding youth in a connected world. It’s happening at the Yukon Arts Centre, Nov. 23, 9am-5pm.
Click here for a list of all our workshops.
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