Better Internet for Kids

As part of the Better Internet for Kids (BIK) Quality Assurance Programme (QAP), the Insafe-INHOPE Coordination Teams are jointly conducting a set of 15 country visits to national Safer Internet Centres (SICs) to better understand what is happening in the Member States: monitoring emerging issues and challenges, identifying good practices to be shared, and harvesting the results of the Better Internet for Kids (BIK) policy. On 12 June, a national visit was organised by the Insafe-INHOPE coordination team at the premises of the Ministry of Education in Rome, Italy.

The Italian Safer Internet Centre called Generazioni Connesse is coordinated by the Ministry of Education. The main consortium partners include most relevant organisations at the national level such as the University of Florence, Sapienza University of Rome, Save the Children, SOS Telefono Azzurro, Cooperative EDI, Skuola.net and Giffoni Film Festival.

During this national visit, the two main lines of awareness work carried out by the Italian SIC were identified as follows

• ePolicy process: As parents do not always have enough awareness to support their children in developing a sense of digital wellbeing, the school has a key role to play in this regard. Based on this premise, an ePolicy process is facilitated by Cooperative EDI to promote digital literacy, positive and responsible use of digital technology and digital wellbeing. In this context, schools are supported to develop a policy so that they have a document that supports children and young people who experience challenges online.
• Skuola.net: Skuola.net is an important educational platform that reaches about 8 million people per month. It is aimed at young people in secondary schools and universities and is a reference point for all institutions and the people who work and study in them. The site provides everyday help and support for children and young people. The site also makes it possible to gather young people's views through surveys aimed at students, which help to measure how they deal with the digital domain and monitor the evolution of some phenomena.

It was also noted that the University of Florence, in close collaboration with the Sapienza University of Rome, is carrying out the assessment and evaluation of the awareness raising activities of the Italian SIC. They focus on four main areas, namely Effectiveness, Relevance, Impact and Sustainability. Various methods, such as feedback surveys, focus groups and self-evaluation questionnaires, are used to evaluate the different activities.

The youth participation session of the national visit was presented by two young people from the Italian youth panel. The presentation started with a video showcasing the activities of the youth panel of 2022-2023. Currently, the national youth panel consists of 40 young people between the ages of 14-19 years old from different regions of Italy. The selection process is carried out in collaboration with Giffoni Experience and a dedicated jury of experts, taking into consideration various criteria such as: Age, diversity, interest in online safety, experience with online technologies, commitment, ability to collaborate, and geographical representation.

When working with young people, the Italian SIC aims to incorporate age-appropriate content, social learning theory, case studies and reflective practice as a general methodology for all activities. Against this background, youth participation is a fundamental part of the SIC's work and operation, as it engages the youth panel through numerous activities that encourage active participation. At the same time, it fosters a sense of ownership among young people in the digital safety discourse.

The Italian SIC helpline is run by Telefono Azzurro. It has been operating since 1987 and aims to prevent child abuse and neglect and to provide essential support to children and young people in distress. Helpline 196 96 is a voice and chat service, and children can contact it via WhatsApp. Adults can also get support for any concerns they may have about children and young people.

The Italian SIC includes two hotlines: ‘Clicca e Segnala' (Click and Report) run by Telefono Azzurro and ‘Stop-it' run by Save the Children Italy. Both are members of the INHOPE network.

Further information about the Italian Safer Internet Centre, including its awareness raising, helpline, hotline, and youth participation services, or find similar information for other Safer Internet Centres in Europe.