Hello to all members of Youth work online,

As part of my role within the participation unit at the NSPCC I am helping organise a shadow youth forum  which will run alongside the London Conference on Cyberspace. It aims to identify how the many social and economic benefits of the internet can be protected, while tackling the challenges, like cybercrime, which threaten them. The Conference will be attended by 900 adult delegates from 60 countries.

25 ambassadors for young people across the UK, will have the chance to take part in face-to-face debates and interviews with political leaders and technological entrepreneurs such as Wikipedia founder, Jimmy Wales, and industry leaders from Facebook, Blackberry and Skype.

They will also take part in a specific debate on internet safety for children, chaired by Tim Loughton, Minister for Children and James Brokenshire, Security Minister. Andrew Flanagan, NSPCC Chief Executive will also be on the panel.

The conference will be a chance to represent young peoples’ views about the opportunities the digital world offers them, as well as discuss issues facing young people in the new technological era.

The Youth Conference on Cyberspace provides a fantastic opportunity to speak directly to some of the world’s most influential leaders in this field, young people will help to gather information about young peoples’ views on the key issues to be debated at the conference, including: social and economic benefits of the internet, cyber crime, international security and safe and reliable access.

Any young person can have their say by contributing to the debate on twitter (#youthLondonCyber) and on specially created Youth London Cyber online community http://www.youth-london-cyber.org.uk/

The 25 ambassadors will then share updates from the conference with young people across the UK through live twitter feeds and blogs. There will also be the chance for people to Skype directly to ask questions and speak to delegates ‘in person’.

The two-day event will culminate with the group of 13 to 21 year olds addressing the adult conference, in a Dragons Den style pitch, with the top issues they want politicians and digital leaders to take notice of.

Young people have been selected from a number of organisations including ChildLine, NSPCC, Stonewall, Raw TV Ltd, Changemakers, Restless Development, South London YMCA, National Deaf Children’s Society, Virgin Media Pioneers and Harwich and Dovercourt High School in Essex.

This is a great opportunity for young people to be able get involved and have access to key decision makers who will be creating the technologies of tomorrow and policy makers that want to consult with young people about access and regulation of the internet.

If you know any young people that would like to contribute to the debates please send them the link to www.youth-london-cyber.org.uk and please follow us on the day on twitter @ldncyberyouth

Please do get in touch with me if you want to know any further details

Big Thanks

Shilpa

:)