Address Cyberbullying By Creating a Conscious Online Community Erasmus Project

Project Title

Address Cyberbullying By Creating a Conscious Online Community

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for youth

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Health and wellbeing; Inclusion – equity; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

RELEVANCE
With the increased use of mobile technologies and permanent online access more children have become involved in cyberbullying as victims, perpetrators and/or bystanders. Research at national level shows that cyberbullying tends to be perceived as an alarming and growing phenomenon (Report from European Parliament: Cyberbullying among young people, 2016).

The ACBC.COM project will tackle this issue and prevent young people from potential social exclusion. The project will introduce young people to the phenomenon of cyberbullying and raise awareness about the related impact and consequences. The project does this by developing a Serious Game that youth workers and teachers can use in youth initiatives, education and training to encourage young people to understand cyberbullying, recognise its impact and think about the effects and consequences of their own and others online presence, resulting in the development of (social) media literacy and critical thinking skills, which are essential in the digital age.

ACBC.COM also clearly addresses the sectoral priority ‘Support youth workers in developing and sharing effective methods in reaching out to marginalised young people, in preventing racism and intolerance among youth, and in addressing the risks, opportunities, and implications of digitalisation.’ Cyberbullying is a media literacy issue that is rapidly evolving and needs action in the area. This project enables youth workers to address online awareness with young people in a modern, engaging and involving manner, through Serious Gaming.

CONTEXT
For young people today, going online to connect and interact with others is a natural and integral part of daily life. As they log on to email, blog, chat, or participate in online social networks, young people no longer see the Internet as simply a tool, but rather as an extension of their social lives and public identities. With new technologies being available and increased access to ICTs by young people, new risks emerge. One of these risks is cyberbullying taking new forms such as mockery, insults, threats, rumours, gossip, disagreeable comments, slander, etc. which threaten the health, well-being and attainment of victims. Cyberbullying is regarded as a serious threat with a potentially long-lasting impact in Europe.

OBJECTIVE – ONLINE CONSCIOUSNESS
The objective is to actively involve youth in a modern way to truly engage them on the topic of online behaviour in order to prevent cyberbullying. This will be done by offering youth organisations, schools and other youth initiatives and programmes the knowledge, tools and network to set up a network and programme on Online Media Awareness.

TARGET GROUPS
– YOUTH (13-18 YEARS) – The main target group of ACBC.COM is young people with an age between 13-18 years. European wide the 13-18 age category stands out as the most exposed to cyberbullying. This target group can be reached through schools (students), but also via youth organisations, sports clubs, youth programmes and initiatives, etc.
– YOUTH ORGANISATIONS & SCHOOLS – It is through them the project outputs will be delivered to the final beneficiaries. With support of the ACBC.COM User Guide, youth workers, social workers, teachers and other people that work with youth on a daily basis will get an in depth understanding of cyberbullying and will be able to implement the ACBC.COM Serious Game with the target group, young people.
– COMMUNITY – The set up and development of Regional Partnerships involves a broader community to enhance the discussion on online behaviour and to raise awareness on cyberbullying. These Partnerships will involve organisations from a broader view to ensure an integrated approach and wide impact.

OUTPUTS
The concrete OUTPUTS ACBC.COM will develop are:
IO1 – Regional Partnerships – Blueprint
IO2 – User Guide
IO3 – Serious Game
IO4 – Online Community and Open Education Resources
IO5 – Impact measurement – Methodology & Guidelines

METHODOLOGY
ACBC.COM adopts an integrated approach to ensure achievement of the project results. All IOs (except for IO1) are structured into clear and sequential activity phases. These activity phases tend to follow the same build-up across the various IOs and typically include:
1. Preparation
2. Research
3. Development
4. Alpha test
5. Implementation & Pilot test
6. Review & Finalisation
7. Dissemination

INVOLVEMENT OF PARTICIPANTS
Participants will be involved through the following activities that are planned during the project:
– Establishment and development of 6 Regional Partnership
– Pilot testing
– Multiplier Events

IMPACT
Participants, participating organisations, target groups and other relevant stakeholders will get an in depth understanding and recognition of one of today’s biggest media literacy issues and its far reaching consequences. This in turn will lead to the prevention of cyberbullying, online harassment and immoral online behaviour creating a Conscious Online Community.

Project Website

http://www.acbc-project.eu/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 176164 Eur

Project Coordinator

Directia Generala de Asistenta Sociala si Protectia Copilului Harghita & Country: RO

Project Partners

• EUROPOS SOCIALINIS VERSLUMO UGDYMO IR INOVATYVIU STUDIJU INSTITUTAS
• BRIDGING TO THE FUTURE LTD
• 8D Games BV
• STICHTING INCUBATOR
• C4G – CONSULTING AND TRAINING NETWORK, LDA
• INSTITUTE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT
• Fundatia Centrul Educational Spektrum