The Cybersmile Foundation Partners with BT to Launch Education Platform for Young People to Tackle Online Hate

London, UK, February 14, 2022 - The Cybersmile Foundation and BT have announced a new partnership to tackle online hate, bullying and abuse through the launch of a new online education platform for young people. New modules will be made available for free from today at https://www.cybersmileeducation.org/roadshow

Through BT’s Lead Partner status with the Home Nation FAs, a roadshow will kick off the new platform with eight workshops for 10–18-year-olds in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The workshops feature special guests and also build on BT’s Hope United initiative - which launched last year bringing together a diverse team of football players to tackle online hate in order to address the impact it can have on young people, and what can be done to combat it. The roadshow begins with workshops in Northern Ireland on February 13th, moving on to Scotland on 20/21 February then Wales on 26/27 February before concluding in England in March/April.

Scott Freeman, CEO of The Cybersmile Foundation said: “Everybody at Cybersmile is proud and excited to be working with BT to educate and positively impact young people across the U.K. on a range of key issues. Cybersmile believes that education and awareness are key to changing behaviours and potentially saving lives, which this initiative has been designed to do.”

The Hope United Roadshow is the latest activation from BT’s ‘4-3-3’ strategy – a five year sponsorship plan that’s using technology and innovation in footballing communities across the UK to help change the lives of millions of players, coaches and fans.

The roadshow content comprises of three modules developed by The Cybersmile Foundation focusing on upskilling users and educating them on how to be good digital citizens. The modules will include content specific to each Home Nation and will focus on the following key topics:

• Why Hope Beats Hate: Find out how it can heal, empower, unite, inspire and save people.
• The Impact of Online Abuse: The implications of online abuse and how everyone can be a better digital citizen.
• Digital Self-Care: Discover how to look after mental and physical wellbeing by keeping a healthy balance between online and offline lives.

Pete Jeavons, Marketing Communications Director, BT, said: “Working alongside Cybersmile has allowed us to continue the vital work that Hope United kickstarted last year: to tackle the online hatred and cyberbullying that is sadly part of everyday life. We’re also incredibly excited to further support grassroots football communities across the UK as part of our long-term partnerships with the four UK home nations football associations to up-skill millions of players, coaches and fans.”

The Hope United Roadshow will also contribute towards BT’s digital skills target to provide 25 million people with the skills they need to make the most of life in the digital world. In line with BT’s purpose to Connect for Good and through its partnership with Cybersmile, the new initiative aims to help more people across the nation have the skills they need to stay connected, tackle the digital divide and support the UK’s economic recovery.

To find out more about the Hope United Roadshow, visit cybersmileeducation.org/cat/roadshow/

BT - Lead Partner of the Home Nations

BT’s is lead partner with each of the four home nation football associations – The FA, Scottish FA, Irish FA and FA of Wales.
Working with the FAs, BT identified the key areas of the game that needed the most support and developed the transformational 4-3-3 football strategy:

• 4 – to support the 4 home nations in partnership with each football association.
• 3 – supporting the 3 football communities most in need of support – disability and para, grassroots, and women’s football.
• 3 – 3 goals for BT: to develop new innovation and technology in football; new opportunities to promote digital and skills initiatives; and a new generation of girls and women to participate in football.

About BT

BT Group is the UK’s leading telecommunications and network provider and a leading provider of global communications services and solutions, serving customers in 180 countries. Its principal activities in the UK include the provision of fixed voice, mobile, broadband and TV (including Sport) and a range of products and services over converged fixed and mobile networks to consumer, business and public sector customers. For its global customers, BT provides managed services, security and network and IT infrastructure services to support their operations all over the world. BT consists of four customer-facing units: Consumer, Enterprise, Global and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Openreach, which provides access network services to over 650 communications provider customers who sell phone, broadband and Ethernet services to homes and businesses across the UK.

For the year ended 31 March 2021, BT Group’s reported revenue was £21,331m with reported profit before taxation of £1,804m.

British Telecommunications plc is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information, visit www.bt.com/about

About The Cybersmile Foundation

The Cybersmile Foundation is a multi-award-winning non-profit organisation committed to digital wellbeing and tackling all forms of bullying and abuse online. They work to promote kindness, diversity and inclusion by building a safer, more positive digital community and encouraging people to realise their full potential without the fear of ridicule and abuse. Through education and the promotion of positive digital citizenship, The Cybersmile Foundation reduces incidents of cyberbullying and provides professional help and support services to children and adults around the world.

Contact

Press Officer
pressoffice@cybersmile.org
https://www.cybersmile.org