'Tech-no' chances with personal safety (From Messenger Newspapers)

Initiative to suport National Personal Safety Day, organised by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust

10:30am Thursday 27th September 2012 in News

KEEPING technology safe to avoid issues such as cyber-bullying is Trafford's theme for National Personal Safety Day on October 8.

National Personal Safety Day is organised by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust who work with a wide range of partners in the public, private and voluntary sector to seek out new ways to keep people safe from violence and aggression.

'Tech no chances' is a Trafford wide initiative primarily aimed at years 6, 7 and 8. Schools will be provided with a short presentation for use in class or assembly which has been devised by both council officers and the police. It highlights the risk associated with technology including keeping yourself safe on Facebook by limiting the amount of personal information shared, cyber bullying, keeping passwords safe, chat rooms and interactive quizzes and tasks.

Pupils will also be invited to take part in a competition to design a leaflet to deliver the message of technology awareness. The winning design will be printed and will form part of the campaign.

For younger pupils there will be a competition to make them think about the different ways in which using technology could put their personal safety at risk. A special wrist band has also been created as a continuous reminder of the campaign.

On the actual awareness day (October 8) there will be awareness information stalls set up in Trafford libraries and in all town centres.

Executive councillor Jonathan Coupe said: "This campaign aims to highlight some practical, common sense precautions people can take to ensure that their personal technology works for them, not against them. With continuous advancements in technology, mobile technology especially, there is an increasing number of ways to capture and share your personal data and information without you being aware its being collated and through this initiative we hope to raise awareness of how you can avoid this happening.”

For further information please contact the Safer Communities Team on 0161 912 3434 or safer.communities@trafford.gov.uk For more information about the Suzy Lamplugh Trust visit www.suzylamplugh.org