Non-academic secondments with PARTICIPATE MSCA have been an incredible learning experience. In other blogs, my colleagues have highlighted their experiences gaining an insider perspective on how data- and evidence-based industry initiatives work. My colleague Shan and I were fortunate to undertake our academic secondment with Foróige, one of Ireland’s leading youth organizations. Shan details her experience in this blog, which I confidently echo as well. Therefore, in this blog, the topic of discussion is not our experience working with Foróige but the ways through which it broadened my understanding of youth work and why evidentiary practices matter when working with young people from all socioeconomic levels and backgrounds.

Designing Practical, Research-Informed Programmes

Getting trained in Connect Safely entailed bridging the academic research to its real-world implementation. Foróige developed this programme to address a growing need to support young people in understanding online safety, digital relationships, and various levels of harm in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. The way it worked was through a two-part training. The first one was aimed at 8- to 11-year-olds, whereas the second training furthered it for an audience of 12- to 18-year-olds. These programmes were aimed at youth workers and practitioners in Ireland to facilitate confident online safety conversations with young people.

The way Connect Safely is designed and delivered includes:

• Up-to-date research on online safety and digital wellbeing
• Practical facilitation tools and structured modules
• A holistic needs-based perspective to online safety instead of a risk-based approach
• Interactive delivery methods mirroring the learning needs of young people

Being trained in the Connect Safely programme and getting to train other workers helped me reflect on why programmes like these are essential to the online health of our youth today:

1- The Digital World is Moving Fast

In fact, the digital world is moving faster than the support systems youth have in place. Young people today are exposed to various forms of online harm, including but not limited to:

• Online harassment and cyberbullying
• Exposure to harmful or inappropriate content
• Increased risk of exploitation or coercion online

Saying no to social media is not the way to help youth through the problems they might encounter online. The real solution lies in training guardians and care providers on the numerous ways they can engage in conversations about the healthy use of digital spaces. The programmes, built on research and evidence, provide real-life examples and scenarios that guardians might encounter, along with guidance on how to help young people navigate them.

2- Young People need Skills – Not Warnings!

As mentioned above, restricting social media use or telling your kids to be careful online isn’t enough anymore. We must train them to critically and cautiously assess their online interactions and conversations, so they know what to do and what not to do. Evidence-based programmes like Connect Safely equip young people to audit their digital life and empower them to be proactive. They help them to develop, among others:

• The critical ability to assess online content
• Skills to manage digital relationships
• Confidence to seek help when something feels wrong

When young people are equipped with these necessary skills, they are more likely to share their online experiences without feeling judged.

3- Youth Workers Need Reliable Support

During my time with the Connect Safely team and during the trainings, one thing I noticed most was the eagerness and dedication of youth workers to create environments of support and reliability for young people. They are more than eager to understand the evolving needs of the youth in their care and are always looking to upskill to foster a connection with them. Programs like Connect Safely address this by providing youth workers with:

• Content built on updated research.
• Practical resources suitable for diverse settings
• Support that upholds core youth work values and responsibilities

In a crowded world of online safety, not all programmes are created equal. Those who ensure reliability, timeliness, research, evidentiary information, and real-life information are the ones who truly matter. Valuing young people’s experiences and meeting them where they are is the need of the hour. Providing practical tools and knowledge is how we, as researchers and practitioners, support their holistic development without undermining their confidence to address problems as they emerge online.

 

Kainaat Maqbool

More from Participate

Reflection on My Non-Academic Secondment

Beyond academia: working together to prevent and address online bullying

Cyberbullying Prevention: Building Resilience and Compassion

Beyond Bans: Why Children’s Participation Rights Matter in the Digital Age