Cyberbullying Peer Ambassadors Network

<< Background >>The CyberBullying Peer Ambassadors Networks was a strategic partnership in the youth field among organizations from four EU countries: Romania, Italy, North Macedonia, and Croatia. The goal was the reducing of cyberbullying and social exclusion among vulnerable youth. This was achieved through the establishment of a peer program dedicated to cyberbullying prevention and intervention.At the levels of partner countries, organizations, and communities, several challenges have been identified based on desk research and target group analysis: Lack of Legal Clarity - Cyberbullying is not explicitly defined by law, and there are no specific legal instruments at the EU level to tackle it, Data Collection and Awareness - Statistics on cyberbullying are not systematically collected by public authorities, leading to a lack of structured prevention and response programs, Educational System Gap - While the school environment is conducive to prevention actions, there is a lack of coherent policies and programs at the national level among partner countries. In response to these challenges, we proposed three key recommandations: integration of online safety in youth programs, integrated resources and community involvemnt & peer learning. << Objectives >>The specific objectives of the project were as follows:Obiective 1: The project aimed to develop the knowledge and skills of 20 youngsters from the partner countries to act as cyberbullying peer ambassadors. This was through the development and implementation of an international training program organised in Romania. Obiective 2: To foster the engagement and cooperation between youth and various educational actors. This was accomplished through the development of an online network, https://ambassadors-network.eu/, of Cyberbullying Peer Ambassadors, serving as a means to facilitate networking, peer learning, and the perpetuation of anti-cyberbullying discourse. Obiective 3: The project aimed to develop skills and mechanisms to address situations of social exclusion and cyberbullying among 400 vulnerable young people. This was realized through their participation in local activities conducted by the newly created Cyberbullying Peer Ambassadors Network, spanning over a period of 2 months. << Implementation >>During the lifetime of the project we have implemented the following activities: 1. Elaboration of Cyberbullying Peer Ambassadors Training program - With this activity our goal was to boost youth empowerment, connection, and engagement. Our team, along with our experts developed a practical training program. This program includes a set of skills to learn through hands-on activities and peer learning, with clear guidelines and materials. 2. Piloting activity through an international learning mobility for young people for the testing of this program and put the basis of the international network - with participation of 20 young people from the partner countries.3. Local activities which included:a) The involvment of relevant stakeholers in delivering the final training program through the organization of local workshops. These workshops aimed to present the training program and collect feedback, allowing an assessment of the efficiency and relevance of the product for various participant profiles. This process facilitated adaptations to the material, ensuring its pertinence and utility across diverse education sectors and contexts.b) An enrollment campaign targeting other young people for knowledge transfer. This campaign was designed and implemented with the proactive support of national youth groups. They replicated the international training under the guidance of partner experts, with the intention of establishing a foundational engagement. This approach aimed to diffuse learning on a large scale and promote the creation of the Cyberbullying Peer Ambassadors Network. 4. The Cyberbullying Peer Ambassadors Network aimed at establishing an online network of cyberbullying peer ambassadors to address the cyberbullying phenomenon. This initiative facilitated the formation of a European peer learning community, initially comprising empowered youngsters from the partner countries and later expanding to include participants from other EU Member states. The network served as a digital platform, https://ambassadors-network.eu/, creating interconnections among young people to collectively respond to cyberbullying through peer learning, functioning as an educational and empowering tool.After the formation of national youth groups, they were first involved in virtual meetings for shaping the format and content of the digital platform. This step aimed to ensure ownership by the youngsters. Subsequently, the youth groups participated in planning network activities. Our organization's youth workers orchestrated virtual meetings and discussions centered around pertinent topics, fostering the creation of various activities. To ensure our ambassadors were well-prepared, collaborative training sessions were conducted by each partner in conjunction with the national groups. These sessions honed in on efficiently navigating the website and utilizing its functions. As the youth groups gained proficiency, they spearheaded local initiatives for preventing and intervening in cyberbullying. This undertaking received support from partner organizations, leading to the gradual rise in popularity and promotion of the digital platform across local, regional, national, and international spheres.<< Results >>Quantitative results:Development of one Cyberbullying Peer Ambassadors Training Program, comprising theory and experiential learning, created by partner organizations and available in digital format.Establishment of a digital platform, https://ambassadors-network.eu/, serving as an online resource to facilitate peer learning processes and international youth engagement. Twenty young individuals from four European countries underwent training to become Cyberbullying Peer Ambassadors by participating in an international mobility program in Romania.Informing and training 40 young people, young leaders, and volunteers during the local work phase conducted by participants in the international mobility (with 10 external beneficiaries per partner country). This phase included two training events in each country to transfer knowledge, expand the Cyberbullying Peer Ambassadors Network, and recruit additional ambassadors within local youth communities.Providing information and training to 400 vulnerable young people over a two-month testing phase of the Cyberbullying Peer Ambassadors Network (100 young people from each partner country). The testing phase involved developing activities for all actors in cyberbullying situations (victims, aggressors, witnesses), as well as awareness-raising and counseling activities. Conducting three workshops per partner for the quality assurance of the training program. These workshops involved 50 representatives from NGOs, schools, youth centers, school education, and public institutions to enhance the training program and maximize its transferability potential.Involving over 20 stakeholders per partner country in local activities developed by trained participants within the Cyberbullying Peer Ambassadors initiative. Trained participants, under the supervision and support of youth workers from each partner, created and implemented events and concrete actions for each covered topic as practical activities, with the collaboration of identified stakeholders and partner organizations.Attracting a number of 124 Cyberbullying Peer Ambassadors who joined the online platform. Organizing four multiplier events with a total of 349 participants attending these events.Qualitative results:Youth who participated in the pilot of the training program gained knowledge, competences, and methodologies to combat and prevent cyberbullying.A community of ambassadors was established through the Cyberbullying Peer Ambassadors Network during the pilot phase. This community sustained peer learning and engagement in cyberbullying prevention and intervention at the European level. It positioned youngsters at the forefront, empowering them as leaders of the anti-cyberbullying discourse and Upstanders in their communities.EU citizenship was developed among the youngsters.Cooperation between the youth sector and other educational actors, including schools, public authorities, was fostered. This collaboration enhanced capacity development through joint activities, promotion, and providing access to the digital platform.Partners' capacity to create and develop new learning opportunities for youth was increased.The quality of education and training was enhanced through the development of new resources in the youth field and cyberbullying.Awareness about the cyberbullying phenomenon increased at the partners' level, EU, and international levels.Contributions were made to perpetuate the anti-cyberbullying discourse, support existing initiatives, and diversify youth activities. This included thematic activities offered by civil society outside the school environment to youngsters who no longer participated in formal education.