How we support young people
As a digital inclusion programme, we aim to support all residents on their digital journey.
This journey is especially important for young people, who are at important points in their lives. Whether in full time education or beginning to take steps into the working world, being connected and confident in your own digital skills has never been more vital.
From youth aspiration days and in person workshops to offers for connectivity, devices and more, we want to support young people to feel digitally confident in ways that are meaningful.
To better understand the different support available for younger residents across the city, take a look at our online interactive map of over 50 venues that can help you on your digital journey. View the #CovConnects Map on Padlet [https://padlet.com/covconnectsdigital/covconnects-venue-map-jah7wq5hx76lbmuh].
Digital inclusion for young people - blog
In this space, we regularly share blogs, news stories and more that all focus on digitally including young people.
Have a look at our recent posts!
Hereward College - Digital opportunities for young people
We've been working collaboratively with Hereward College to support students to explore the digital world in meaningful ways.
Most recently, as part of the Festival of Social Science, students travelled to the HADO Arena in Coventry where they tried HADO, the augmented reality sport hailing from Japan, as well as different card and board games designed by Coventry University’s GameChangers research project.
Read the full article here on our news page. [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/cov-connects/hereward-college-digital-opportunities-young-people]
NewsWise - News literacy for children aged 7-11
From The Guardian Foundation, NewsWise offers a range of free resources and activities to help children in the UK navigate news and information critically.
Learn more about NewsWise on The Guardian Foundation's website.
#CovConnects and the Libraries and Information Service in Coventry have held a number of sessions focusing on media literacy that uses NewsWise resources, if you are interested in learning more about sessions and how they can help young people that you support, get in touch with us over email at: CovConnectsDigital@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:CovConnectsDigital@coventry.gov.uk]
Learn more about how to fight fake news on this Council page from the Libraries and Information Service [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/libraries-1/digital-information/2]
Support from libraries in Coventry
Libraries across the city are here to help young people on their digital journeys.
From providing free Wi-Fi and publicly available devices, to virtual reality (VR) experiences, device loaning initiatives, e-resources and more, your local library is a hub for digital inclusion!
To stay up to date with upcoming events at libraries in Coventry, visit this page of the Council website [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/whatsonlibraries]where you can see the full list of events and sign up to the Coventry Library newsletter.
Useful library supports for young people
- Virtual reality and immersive audio sessions are available in the VR space at Central Library – Learn more about the VR Library [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/libraries-1/digital-spaces-coventry-libraries/3]
- Search for and reserve books, track your reading and catch creatures in the library with an augmented reality game! - Discover the free Planet Library app [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/libraries-1/search-library-catalogue]
- Borrow a Micro:bit from Coventry libraries! Whether you’re looking to explore coding, electronics, or just have some fun with tech, Micro:bits are available for loan – Learn about coding basics with Micro:bit [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/libraries-1/digital-information/10]
- People older than 16 can apply to loan a Chromebook and connectivity dongle for up to 12 weeks for free from Coventry Libraries – Learn how to apply [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/libraries-1/digital-information/9]
More information
Want to learn more about how libraries across Coventry can support young people? Visit their page on the Council website. [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/libraries-1]
Online safety for children and young people
With recent findings showing that young people spend an average of 4-5 hours a day online (The Minimum Digital Living Standards, 2024 [https://www.goodthingsfoundation.org/policy-and-research/research-and-evidence/research-2024/minimum-digital-living-standard]), staying safe is essential, particularly for younger audiences who are more vulnerable to potential exploitation.
It can be daunting to think about how best to support younger people to use the internet safely, however there are lots of small steps that you can take!
Where to start?
Everyone is at a different point in their own unique digital journey, this needs to be understood when thinking about how to support younger people to feel safe online.
Reflecting on a young person’s online habits can be a great way to know where to start.
You might be interested in looking at these trusted resources for supporting children and young people with online safety:
- NSPCC | Keeping children safe online [https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/] – Part of a suite of resources to support parents and carers in keeping children safe. Includes advice around specific video games, self-harm, sexting, leaving children at home and more.
- UK Safer Internet Centre [https://saferinternet.org.uk/] – A wealth of resources and guidance for supporting children and young people to stay safe online.
- Get Safer Online [https://www.getsafeonline.org/personal/article-category/safeguarding-children/] - Specific sections of this dedicated online safety website include content around gaming, social medi, music, movies, parental controls and more.
More information
Want to learn more about supporting children and young people to stay safe online?
Visit this page of the Council website [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/coventry-local-safeguarding-children-board/online-safety] from our Children and Families service for more information and resources regarding online safety for young people.