In today’s world, technology has become an essential tool to access knowledge, to perform efficiently, and for development. Many children/students use the internet to obtain knowledge, to be aware of global activities,news, and for educational purposes. Although the internet poses many risks and threats to children, it is impossible to prevent them from using the internet and technologies as it has become a necessity to advance in education and in life. As more children begin to use the internet, they become vulnerable to exploitation and other threats. Due to this, it has become important to provide the relevant knowledge on how children can use the internet and technologies positively and prevent themselves from being victims of exploitation.
On the 2nd August, End Child Poverty’s Knowledge Center in collaboration with Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, conducted a youth consultation on Online safety for 18 school students (11 girls and 7 boys) from Roman Catholic school, Moratuwa. The main objective of the training was; to obtain necessary information to design and prepare an awareness programs on online safety, identify the knowledge gaps related to online safety of children and to provide awareness on online safety apart from disseminating knowledge on how youth can protect themselves from being exploited via internet and technologies.