EVENT
On Thursday 31st March 2005 Childnet International - in partnership with The Cable & Wireless Jamaica Foundation and The British Council, - convened a special international conference in Jamaica entitled Children and the Internet: Releasing Potential: Minimising Risk.
The event was the culmination of the C&W Childnet Academy week which brought together young people from around the world who are using the Internet positively. See the winning projects here.
 Central to the aim of the conference was giving young people a voice and the conference opened with some of the winners being interviewed by journalist and Academy judge Larry Magid. The conference concluded with a major presentation from young people entitled “What We Want from the Net” Click here to see this manifesto which has been designed by one of the winners from Nigeria.
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 This conference was unique in bringing such a wide range of different people and organisations together from different parts of the world to look at the issues of both the positives and challenges for young people using the Internet. I am delighted that this event was centered around listening to young people and the final report - written and designed by young people – is a challenge to all of us committed to helping to make the Internet a great place for children.
Stephen Carrick-Davies
Childnet CEO and Chair of Conference.
 Click here to download a Conference poster designed by the young people (122KB)
Click here to download the Conference Invitation (237KB)
The conference and Academy celebration event brought Government Ministers (Minister of Education and Minister of Technology) educators, policy makers, industry leaders and child welfare specialists together to hear directly from the young winners and local children. The event concluded with the prize giving of the Academy winners. In total over 300 people attended both the conference and celebratory event.
Click here to download the Conference Programme (495KB)
In the morning sessions speakers looked at the theme of Releasing Potential for young people in using the Internet positively. The afternoon sessions looked at the issues under the heading of Minimising Risk and reviewed safety and security issues facing young people and families online.
Releasing Potential
Releasing Potential - Children & Young People
This session included an opportunity to hear directly from the winners of this year’s Cable & Wireless Childnet Academy Competition – all of whom are using the Internet for positive social purposes. Click here to hear interviews from this years winners and read a press article on the conference.
Releasing Potential - in Education
This session highlighted many examples of how information communication technology (ICT) is being used positively in classrooms around the world. The session explored the potential benefit of including Internet learning as a core part of the classroom environment both in Jamaica and elsewhere as well as highlighting the lessons learnt from the previous mistakes.
 Click here for Presentations from from Jackie Cousins
Assistant Chief Education Officer Media Services Unit, Jamaican Ministry of Education Youth and Culture (1.8MB)
Click here for Presentations from Makonnen Blake–Hannah
Former Youth Consultant to the Minister of Commerce and Technology (5.4MB)
Releasing Potential - in Families
This session explored how parents can keep up to date with their children’s use of ICT and looked at the ways in which parents and carers can best support their children and ensure that they can get the most out of the Internet. The session also reviewed lessons learnt from Europe and the USA on internet safety and awareness programmes and how parents can support and learn from their children in using the Internet safely and positively.
Click here for Presentations from Trond Waage
Former Ombudsman for Children – Norway (693KB)
Click here for Presentations from Anne Collier
Director Net Family News, USA (133KB)
Click here for Presentations from Barbara Blake–Hannah
Educational consultant Jamaica (906KB)
Minimising Risk - Interactive Services
The conference included a series of breakout sessions, on the themes of:
Minimsing Risk - The role of Industry
Responsibility and best practice, Codes of best practice and corporate social responsibility
Click here for Presentations from Anthony Smith
Head of Mobile Operations C&W Jamaica (1.1MB)
Minimising Risk – The role of the Media
Converged technologies and moderation of online services for young people. - The role and responsibility for broadcasters to educate and protect.
Click here for Presentations from Rebecca Shallcross
Executive of Children’s BBC Interactive, UK (KB)
Minimising Risk – The role of those in Child Welfare
The need for inter-agency co-operation in responding to the new online dangers for children.
Minimising Risk – The role of Schools in Educating young people and Parents
This extended breakout session showcased Childnet International’s award-winning Internet safety programme, Kidsmart (www.kidsmart.org.uk) and explored how this programme could be replicated in schools across the Caribbean.
   
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