Cumbria’s 11 MILLION Takeover Day Events

During November, as events for 11MILLION Takeover Day and Anti-Bullying Week are brought to our attention, we hear how Jodie Holyoak from Cumbria is helping to voice opinions of the youth and help other young people stay safe online.

Jodie Holyoak, a former pupil at Solway Community Technology College who now attends sixth form at Nelson Thomlinson School, was invited to join the national youth panel of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) which took place in London last week.

On Saturday 8 November Jodie traveled to London alongside Avril Quinn, her former ICT teacher at Solway Community Technology College to attend her first youth panel meeting. The youth panel advises the education board on current trends and threats to young people. The education board then works out a way to try and deal with these issues. A group of young people from all over the UK are invited to meet approximately once a term at CEOP's Office's in London to discuss these issues.

Avril Quinn, Head of ICT at Solway Community Technology College, said, "Jodie and I are now very aware of how Child Exploitation and On-line Protection works. It is very encouraging to see that all of these similar agencies from all over the world are working together to prosecute people who use and abuse children and images of children."

Jodie Holyoak said "I am learning a lot about the work of the CEOP, I now know how to report abuse and how to deal with cyber bullying. I have thoroughly enjoyed traveling to London to discuss these issues with other young people and I am pleased to represent the views of others my age."

Jeff Haslam, Cumbria Children's Services E-safety Advisor, who sits on CEOP's education board, nominated Jodie after her contribution to the CEOP International Youth Congress she attended earlier this year. The congress brought together 180 young people from around the world who worked together on writing a statement which will be presented by one of the delegates to UN when they meet later this month in Rio De Janeiro to draw up a charter on the Rights of the Child.

During the congress, they listened to talks by government ministers, Jim Gamble (Head of CEOP), Esther Rantzen as well as messages from Prime Minister, Gordon Brown and Richard Branson. They also got the opportunity to meet Prince Edward and pop band McFly.

On the final day, Jodie Holyoak and fellow Solway pupil, Laura Todd were among the young people who presented to the government, multi national companies (including Microsoft), law enforcement and media, about what they as a group of young people, require these agencies to do to help protect them online.

Jeff Haslam said "We very often don't give young people the acknowledgement they deserve for the hard work and commitment they give to worthwhile causes. The input CEOP's youth panel make to the education board is invaluable in the never ending battle to keep children and young people safe whilst using the Internet. As a direct result of the panel's input the education board devised the hugely successful website www.thinkuknow.co.uk which offers advice to all age ranges including teachers and parents."