How to be safe on the Internet - a new program of the NGO Academy supported by KGHM Polska Miedź S.A.

Safe behavior on the Internet, the art of coping with stress and various forms of violence - these are the main tenets of a new program intended for children and young people carried out by the NGO Academy. The NGO Academy is made up of 15 NGOs from the Copper Belt and the Dolnośląskie and Lubuskie Provinces. Its activities are supported by KGHM Polska Miedź S.A.

Starting in September, children and young people from the Copper Belt will be able to take part in the NGO Academy’s proprietary training program “Prevention Zone.”

“Security on the Internet is no longer just a matter of technology; it is first and foremost an investment in the future of our community. Educating the youngest how to avoid online dangers is a much-needed activity. In addition, the young generation has problems coping with stress and may have to deal with various forms of violence. Such projects are our response to the challenges posed by the modern world,” said Sylwia Jurgiel, the spokesperson for KGHM Polska Miedź S.A.

“Prevention Zone” focuses on topics related to the use of Internet, coping with stress, and responding to various forms of violence. As part of the training, school children and adolescents will be able to learn what cyberbullying is, how to recognize it, and how to effectively defend against it. Stress-coping workshops, on the other hand, will provide an indispensable dose of knowledge about this aspect of everyday life, linking it to virtual reality. As part of the program, everyone will be able to receive information about places where they can receive support in their region.

The program is intended for students in grades 6-8 in elementary schools, the group most vulnerable to the above-mentioned threats. Meetings with students will be held as part of weekly class meetings, meetings with teachers - during educational councils, and meetings with parents - during parent-teacher conferences.

The project will be implemented as part of the KGHM Academy, which aims to promote pro-social programs and training for local residents. The “Prevention Zone” program is the result of training for NGO representatives in the area of countering cyber threats, stress, and violence in the broad sense.

“Such training and meetings are extremely valuable and we are very grateful to KGHM for organizing them. They give us the opportunity to develop, establish cooperation, and exchange experiences. We are thus improving our competence and the reach of our organizations,” stressed Agnieszka Malik-Demiańczuk of the Imelda Association of Chojnów.

KGHM is heavily involved in pro-social projects in the Copper Belt. KGHM employees also eagerly participate in the implementation of various programs, taking part in numerous volunteer campaigns.

The Copper Belt NGO Academy is a platform for exchange of experience for NGOs, created in 2020 by the CSR department of KGHM Polska Miedź. It is co-founded by NGOs from Legnica, Lubin, Polkowice, Głogów, Złotoryja, Chojnów, Nowe Miasteczko, and Bolesławiec, among other towns and cities. These organizations focus on pro-social and preventive activities for families, students, and teachers in the Copper Belt region.

More than 150 initiatives and programs have already been implemented over a period of three years, including: “School of Parents and Educators,” “Leader 100,” “Treasure Archipelago,” and “Star of Power.” All this was done for and with the residents of the Copper Belt in mind. To date, the Academy’s beneficiaries have included some 40,000 people from the Dolnośląskie and Lubuskie Provinces.