ChildFund Australia

A BIG welcome to our latest ambassador, Juan De La Cruz, who dropped into the Sydney ChildFund office today to discuss his new role and upcoming projects.   We are so excited to have Juan join us as a dedicated ChildFund Australia ambassador for children and young people. You may know Juan from a certain cooking show, but outside the kitchen and our screens, Juan is a passionate advocate for nutrition, especially for children. Juan says: “I am so happy to be a ChildFund ambassador because, for me, it is important that we live in a world where children have access to nutritious food, education, and healthy childhoods. I’m looking forward to collaborating with the ChildFund team!”

Some things are better shared in person or kept private altogether. Today, children around the world are at risk of new forms of online violence and manipulation – 1 in 8 have been victims of non-consensual taking, sharing and exposure to sexual images and video in the last year. It has never been easier for predators to target children, with abusers often attempting to meet in person. Knowing not to share personal information or location can help keep children safe online and offline. Enter Swipe Safe, our new online safety app designed to educate and empower children to safely use the internet. ➡️ Discover more about our latest initiative and become part of the online revolution today: https://bit.ly/4gqMm4r

This week, ChildFund staff from Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia and Timor-Leste participated in the ASEAN ICT Forum on Child Protection Online in Bali, Indonesia. Collaborating with young people, NGOs, industry partners and government officials, we addressed crucial online safety challenges for children in Southeast Asia. We shared insights from our Swipe Safe program and app – an interactive learning tool supporting children to navigate the online world safely. Launched in 2017 in Vietnam, our Swipe Safe program has now reached 60,000 children across the Asia-Pacific. Together, we can create a safer online environment for children. Learn more ➡️https://bit.ly/47K23Qi #ChildProtection #OnlineSafety #ASEANICTForum

We now live in a borderless world, which means predators can operate on a global scale, 24/7. And as more and more children come online, we need to be talking to them about safely navigating the digital world. That’s why we created our online safety program and app, Swipe Safe – to respond to new threats and honour our commitment to keeping children safe and protecting their rights online and offline. 📱🔒 Find out more: https://bit.ly/3K2Dxjl #SwipeSafe #OnlineSafety

Exciting update from the 2024 ASEAN ICT Forum on Child Protection Online! The ChildFund team will be sharing their insights and innovative solutions to addressing the growing challenges facing children online live from the 2024 ASEAN ICT Forum in Bali, Indonesia. Tune in at 8.30pm to hear from our experts April Turner, Senior Child Protection Advisor, and Muhamad Nuzul, Regional Online Safety Coordinator. Learn more ➡ https://lnkd.in/g8wBBGV8

ChildFund welcomes Foreign Minister Penny Wong's recent commitment to push for the creation of a new international declaration to protect humanitarian workers operating in war zones. Humanitarian workers face day to day threats to their safety and often watch their own families and communities suffer while working tirelessly to deliver lifesaving aid. All children, civilians and aid workers living in conflict zones should be protected and never targeted. Australia must do everything in its power to stop the indiscriminate killing of children, civilians and aid workers, and hold states and armed actors accountable when international humanitarian laws are violated.

One for the books! Earlier this month, students from Manatuto Municipality, Timor-Leste, alongside their teachers and parents, celebrated World Literacy Day. They have participated in weekly reading classes as part of anAustralian Department of Foreign Affairs and Tradeand Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) supported literacy project to develop foundational learning and life skills. As part of the event, which saw children participate in literacy-themed activities and share their learnings with the entire community, parents were encouraged to continue supporting their children's education at home as they play an essential role in their development. Students also had the chance to express what literacy means to them. Taking the mic, they shared how, beyond just reading and writing, they could now communicate more effectively with friends and family and foster their creativity and critical thinking abilities. Teachers reported that students were more engaged in their schoolwork and curious about learning new things, emphasising the importance and power of literacy. #Education #ANCP #DFAT #AustralianAid #ChildFundAustralia

One for the books! Earlier this month, students from Manatuto Municipality, Timor-Leste, alongside their teachers and parents, celebrated World Literacy Day. They have participated in weekly reading classes as part of anAustralian Department of Foreign Affairs and Tradeand Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) supported literacy project to develop foundational learning and life skills. As part of the event, which saw children participate in literacy-themed activities and share their learnings with the entire community, parents were encouraged to continue supporting their children's education at home as they play an essential role in their development. Students also had the chance to express what literacy means to them. Taking the mic, they shared how, beyond just reading and writing, they could now communicate more effectively with friends and family and foster their creativity and critical thinking abilities. Teachers reported that students were more engaged in their schoolwork and curious about learning new things, emphasising the importance and power of literacy. #Education #ANCP #DFAT #AustralianAid #ChildFundAustralia

We’re excited to announce the launch of Swipe Safe! 📱🔒 An extension of our child protection work, Swipe Safe is an interactive educational app and training program designed by experts to help keep children safe online. You might have seen a lot about children’s online safety recently – and that’s a good thing. It’s a global problem especially concerning in countries where ChildFund works. Children from both urban and remote areas are falling victim to online risks, including cyberbullying, sexual exploitation, grooming and abuse. But when it comes to protecting children online, it’s education, not unrealistic bans, that will have the will have the greatest impact on their safety. Just like we teach our children how to stay safe when socialising with friends, walking to school, or beginning relationships, we must do the same for their digital world. With Swipe Safe, we hope to do just that – to put digital safety into the hands of children, their parents, and carers so they can protect themselves and their friends from online harm. Download Swipe Safe today: https://bit.ly/4gqMm4r #SwipeSafe #OnlineSafety

Too good to be true? Scammers targeting underage victims is on the rise. According to new research from Westpac, one in four teenagers has fallen for scams on social media. Two of the most common scams involve buying and selling items online and 'sextortion’. Knowing who and what to trust online can be challenging, especially for young people coming online for the first time. Yet, spotting and reporting scams (phishing emails, links, and offers that appear 'too good to be true') and being careful not to share personal information through social media can help them stay safe online and offline. As part of our commitment to keeping children safe, we created our Swipe Safe program and app – a fun and interactive learning platform to help children and young people learn how to safely navigate the digital world and protect themselves from online risks, including scams. There are plenty of practical tips on a wide range of topics, including “Being Responsible Online”, “Scams and Hacking” and “Oversharing”. Together, we can help keep children safe online. Find out more: https://bit.ly/4e8Fk2S #SwipeSafe #OnlineSafety