Liverpool schoolchildren create online safety podcast to help other kids 'make good choices'

Children at a primary school in Liverpool have developed a podcast to empower local young people to make safe choices when using technology.

The podcast project was chosen to receive funding by the Liverpool City Region Youth Bank, a group of 10 to 18-year-olds calling on other young people in Liverpool to promote safety across the region. The Liverpool City Region Youth Bank is an NSPCC-funded project, led by Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.

Whitefield Primary School is using a £450 grant from the Youth Bank to buy equipment for the podcast, which will be run by pupils and digital leaders at the school and will have community members and school visitors as guests.

Catrina, 11, a pupil at Whitefield Primary School, said: “We hope that we are able to deliver key online safety messages through our podcast, which will help to empower people within the community to think about making good choices and decisions when using technology.”

The school’s computer lead, David Shaw, explained: “Our first podcast is due to go out after the Easter holidays. It will be recorded on school premises and the aim is to plan, record, edit, then share each episode.

“We are currently exploring the wider distribution of the podcast, but the initial launch will be through platforms which the school uses such as Seesaw and X. With smartphone and device usage at an all-time high, the aim of the project is to provide an alternative way of making online safety advice available for pupils, families and the wider community.”

He said that content traditionally delivered via leaflets or assemblies can be easily forgotten: “With a podcast we can build up a bank of resources that are constantly available and widely accessible for all.”

NSPCC North West Local Campaigns Manager, Mubashar Khaliq, said: “It’s brilliant to see funded projects like The Whitefield Primary School online safety podcast grow and develop. Being involved with the Liverpool Youth Bank has been a great way to help facilitate youth-led initiatives.”