EMPOWERING students to make a positive change in the online world was the subject of a workshop at Traralgon College last Thursday.
The Project Rock It team, which aims to help children tackle cyber bullying, spent the day with year eight students informing them of ways they can help.
Student wellbeing coordinator Gail Macfarlane said Project Rock It’s motto was ‘Cyber bullying, either you’re part of the problem or part of the solution’.
Ms Macfarlane said students learned about identity hacks, hate sites, abusive comments online and photos posted without permission, as well as received tips on how to handle it and where to go for help.
“The emphasis was on cyber bullying and developing upstanding behaviour in a bullying situation and creating change as a bystander,” she said.
“The workshops also promote awareness of how our online identity can impact on real life future career and personal opportunities, respect from peers and in building better relationships.”
She said presenters Lucy Thomas and Caitlin Wood aimed to inspire the students to create change.
“The kids will be working on what they want to do next; how they can use the information to create change individually in their own community,” Ms Macfarlane said.
She said cyber bullying was not a big problem at the school, but the college wanted to take a proactive stance.
“A lot of kids don’t know what to do or to take the risk to stand up, so we talked a lot about that,” Ms Macfarlane said.
