North Renfrew Family Services

Workshop/Advice /Program  -Keeping North Renfrew Safe in Cyberspace

North Renfrew Family Services is currently running a program aimed at educating parents and children in North Renfrew about the importance of protecting themselves on the internet. There are two main ways we will be reaching the public.

1)      Cyber Safety-Proofing Parents workshop – Parents are invited to attend a free workshop at Mackenzie High School in room 210. This is a computer-oriented workshop that will show parents how they can internet-safety their home computers. Content will include how to set up administrator & user accounts, how to restrict user access, how to check internet histories, etc.

No previous computer knowledge is required. Participants are encouraged to bring in their personal laptops. Children aged 10 and over are welcome to attend if accompanied by an adult.

Workshop Dates:

• Tuesday, November 13 – 6:30pm to 8:30pm

• Tuesday, November 20 – 6:30pm to 8:30pm

• Thursday, November 22 – 6:30pm to 8:30pm

• Tuesday, November 27 – 6:30pm to 8:30pm

• Tuesday, December 11 - 6:30pm to 8:30pm (NEW)

Parents can pick up a free copy of the resource manual that covers the content offered at these workshops at the North Renfrew Family Services office.

2)      In-school presentations – Constable Darin Faris will be visiting Deep River schools, and Constable Beth Ethier will be presenting in Chalk River, in order to impress upon children the importance of protecting themselves on the internet.

Simple Tips to Protect your children on the internet

• Talk with your children about protecting their personal information online, and why this is important. Safety-proofing your home computer will only be effective if you ensure your children keep safe habits when they access computers away from home.
• Keep the computer in the family room, or a high-traffic room – NOT in their bedroom
• If you have a webcam, make sure it’s unplugged when it’s not being used
• Tell your kids to NEVER fill out online forms that ask for personal information without your permission
• If your kids have accounts on Myspace or Facebook or some other social networking site, set up your own account and have them add you as a “friend” so that you can check what information they make available
• On these networking sites, advise your children not to add anyone as a “friend” that they don’t know in person
• For children under 12, have a family account set up that friends can send emails to.
• For children who are ready for their own email accounts, make sure they pick a user name that doesn’t identify them, their age, or their gender
• Advise children NEVER to meet someone they met on the internet without their parents approval and without you being there to ensure who they met really is who they said they are
• Have a conversation with your kids about the kinds of internet sites that aren’t appropriate to access. For example, sites that contain violence, pornography, hate, and illegal and dangerous content.
• Talk to your kids about online harassment, and let them know that if they receive messages that are threatening or that make them uncomfortable, to come to you to help resolve the issue

For more tips and information on how to protect your family online, check out the following websites:

http://www.internet101.ca/en/chatlingo.php  - Confused about the acronyms your children are using? Here’s a comprehensive list of terms that are commonly used in a chat-room environment.

http://www.internet101.ca/en/agreement.php  - To assist parents in setting boundaries with their children on internet access, Internet101.ca has created this “Internet Agreement” that applies to both parents and children.

http://www.media-awareness.ca  – Media Awareness Network is a Canadian non-profit organization that has been pioneering the development of media literacy programs. They promote media and Internet education by producing online programs and resources, working in partnership with Canadian and international organizations, and speaking to audiences across Canada and around the world.

http://www.cybertip.ca  – This is Canada’s National Tipline for reporting the online sexual exploitation of children. It also provides the public with information, referrals, and other resources to help Canadians keep their children safe while on the Internet.

http://www.kidsintheknow.ca/app/en/inet_safety_quiz_start   – Kids in the Know is an interactive safety education program for increasing the personal safety of children and reducing their risk of sexual exploitation. This link takes you to a quiz that will rate how well you’re protecting your children from online risks, and provides advice on how to increase protection specific to the answers you’ve given.

http://www.safecanada.ca  – The Government of Canada website providing links to information and services on public safety in Canada. It’s a good jumping-off place to find safety information on a variety of subjects, including bullying, internet safety, and criminal activity and policing.

North Renfrew Family Services, Deep River, gratefully accepts all charitable donations toward supporting our counseling and group programs.

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