Erasmus+ Programme
Cooperation partnerships in school education
Project Number:  2023-1-BG01-KA220-SCH-000154687
The project has a duration of 24 months
(started on 2023-11-01 and shall end on 2025-10-31)

From Cyberbully to Cyberbuddy: cooperation for combating cyberbullying among secondary school students

THE CHALLENGE

“Cyber harassment” and “Cyber bullying” are defined as harassment and bullying that occur in digital environment via digital devices. These may include creation and spreading of offensive, threatening and mocking visuals, photos and text messages that undermine the dignity or demean the child: shooting videos/photos of a child with mobile phone and the distribution of photos or videos without the child’s consent, identity/profiles theft, insults, spreading rumors on social networks, etc.

THE GOAL

The main goal of the CyberBuddy project is to create conditions for combating cyberbullying among teenaged students by equipping secondary school students and their teachers with relevant digital tools to raise their awareness of and response to various forms of inappropriate behaviour in online environment.

TARGET GROUPS

The project will address the following groups:

Students attending secondary level of education: CyberBuddy plans to develop digital escape rooms and other digital resources incorporated in an online platform that will enhance the digital empowerment and digital empathy of teenagers.

Secondary school teachers: the involvement of teachers and schools is crucial in promoting a better understanding of students’ roles in bullying situations. By addressing bullying in a consistent manner, students become aware that their actions can have an impact on preventing bullying. Teachers can also organize activities that promote social and emotional learning, as well as provide safe strategies for supporting their peers.

Parents of students: although families share a household, parents are not always aware of what their children experience online. Their child might be a victim of cyberbullying or may be a cyberbully harassing other kids online. It is also possible that a child regularly witnesses cyberbullying situations online which may also be a disturbing experience. CyberBuddy will raise the awareness of parents on potential risky online behaviour and will provide advice how to respond to it.