Background

The Childnet Challenge is an initiative of Childnet International, a UK based charity established in 1995, whose aim is “To promote the internet as a safe and positive place for children and young people”. Childnet works in partnership with governments, the technology industry and other agencies internationally to achieve this objective.

The Childnet Challenge is a project that aims to bring young people from different communities together to collaborate using communications technology positively to work together to further develop their mutual understanding.

The project was first piloted in Northern Ireland over the weekend of 10th to 12th October 2003. A small group of young people from three local schools representing different parts of the community worked together to achieve the projects aims. The subject of the activity was St Patrick. The young people were set a number of challenges through which they looked at different aspects of St Patrick, to find information and explore issues from the perspective of both communities.

Throughout the activity the young people communicated with each other, with the operations centre and with others following using mobile telephone technology. They also used the Cyber Café at the St Patrick Centre.

As well as using the technology to communicate the participants used the project web site with details of the challenges, ‘phonelogs’ and other information for young people elsewhere to follow and with whom there is the opportunity for on-line interaction.

Childnet Challenge London

The Childnet Challenge in London is a one-day event with a number of the students who took part in the Childnet Challenge in Northern Ireland coming together to explore London and to demonstrate the Childnet Challenge to people who are coming to London from around the world for the Childnet Academy.

Based at the Kensington Forum Hotel, the two teams will be sent a number of Challenges that will mean they have to explore a part of London. Once they have worked out each location they will have a number of tasks to complete before moving on to the next Challenge.

On the way there are a number of London Streets they will try to find and take a photograph of the street name with at least one member of the team in each picture. The photographs will be uploaded to the web site and visitors to the site can follow their progress.

Each team will have a teacher and a young person who is very familiar with London with them. They will also be in contact with Challenge Central by mobile phone throughout the day.

Visitors to the web site can send a message to Challenge Central and if appropriate these can be passed to the teams.

Childnet Challenge Ireland 2004

The Childnet Challenge will be on again in Ireland later in 2004. If you or your school would like to know more about taking part then please let us know at info@childnet-int.org.