Empowering the Next Agents of Change

Cybersecurity Awareness Month (CSAM) is off to a great start. The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) co-created Surf Smart 2.0 with NortonLifeLock to promote Cyber Safety education across the globe. The non-formal education curriculum is designed to teach young people to connect safely and positively online, aligning perfectly with CSAM’s theme this year to be #BeCyberSmart. Surf Smart 2.0 teaches young people how to protect their personal information, stay safe, and respect other's opinions and feelings. Both CSAM and Surf Smart 2.0 focus on how it takes everyone to create a safe internet.

Since the launch of Surf Smart 2.0 in February, it has accomplished some incredible things—the program has reached almost 7,000 young people; the curriculum is now available in four languages; and the audiobook version has had almost 600 downloads since August! Twelve different WAGGGS Member Organizations have also received grants to implement the program and two trainings were held for Guide Leaders and Facilitators with almost 300 people from 30 different countries participating.

Belu is a Girl Guide with the Asociación Guías Argentinas, the national Girl Guiding organization of Argentina, and is running the Surf Smart 2.0 Badge program with a group of 10- to 12-year-olds. She has been amazed by the changes she has already seen in their internet behavior. After doing the curriculum activities with the girls, she has noticed them being more careful about exchanging information with people they do not know and being choosier about who follows them online. They have been empowered to take control of their online presence. Many have chosen to make their accounts private.