Following the conclusion of the training workshops for the Child Safety Department (CSD)’s ‘Cyber Safety Ambassadors’ initiative, which aims to provide children and youth with the skills and training to guide their peers towards best practices in online safety, its 24 participants have been certified as capable of conducting workshops to their peers to raise their the awareness.

During the intensive two-month training programme, which consisted of four workshops covering different aspects of cyber safety, the ambassadors gained knowledge of all aspects of cyber safety issues, as well as communication and presentation skills. The training was geared to help them prepare for peer-to-peer workshops at summer and winter camps, child care institutions and public and private schools.

The final workshop was held in cooperation with the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA). Participants were taught how to prepare and deliver a presentation based on scientific content to their peers.

The material for the workshop presented by Eng. Abdullah Al Jallaf, Security Analyst at TRA, was based on five pillars: a brief about the Cyber Safety Ambassadors; social engineering; social media platforms; securing email accounts; and avoiding phishing.

During the workshop, attendees learnt about best practises on social media platforms in the UAE, which included refraining from posting private information, pictures or video of others without consent; refraining posting any harmful content, threats, hate speech, or offending comments that might break the law; in addition to refraining from taking pictures of others without consent.

The workshop also discussed bullying in all its forms. Participants learnt about the UAE Child Protection law (Wadeema) issued in 2016, which governs the rights of children from birth to the age of 18, and stipulates that all children must be provided with appropriate living standards, have access to health services, education, and equal opportunities to essential services and facilities without any kind of discrimination. The law protects children against all forms of negligence, exploitation, physical and psychological abuse.

Ambassadors were informed about relevant entities like the Aman Service, an Abu Dhabi Police initiative; Najeed Service, a Sharjah Police initiative, among others, to be contacted in case a youth’s personal account is hacked or if they are blackmailed.

Hanadi Saleh Al Yafei, Director of Child Safety Department (CSD), said: “As the series of training workshops we offered to our Cyber Safety Ambassadors concludes, we look forward to utilising the full potential of these children and youth in generating awareness among their peers. They have become qualified to harness and practically apply what they have learnt in presenting and conducting awareness workshops on cyber security and online safety for their peers and colleagues at educational and cultural forums, schools and childcare institutions.”

The initiative was launched in collaboration with several federal and local entities, including the UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), Ministry of Community Development (MOCD), Khalifa Empowerment Programme – Aqdar, and Sharjah Police. It exemplifies CSD’s keenness to increase cyber awareness among young people by training them and developing their communication and presentation skills, especially while addressing an audience, in order to convey the messages successfully to their peers.

CSD selected 24 children and youth from 85 candidates who are members of Sharjah Children, Sajaya Young Ladies of Sharjah and Sharjah Youth, Sharjah Girl Guides and Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services.