April is Optimist International Internet Safety Month. Is your Optimist Club doing anything to raise awareness?There are a number of different directions that your club might choose to take in order to address this very important aspect of contemporary culture. Optimist International has several resources available online that might help including proclamations, press releases, and success stories of clubs that have held successful internet safety activities. It has also included suggestions for talking to teens and adults as well as how to guides for the Faux Paw, The Techno Cat program for children in first through fourth grade.
The information from Optimist International is just a start. Teaching kids that online bullying, or bullying in any form, is wrong; and helping teens learn to share only appropriate information and photos could make separate programs of their own. Your club might also teach seniors how to avoid identity theft or "netiquette" to your peers. I know that I've seen some questionable behavior online; haven't you?
Optimist International hasn't done much to encourage its clubs to participate in internet safety awareness, but that doesn't mean that it isn't important. One of the benefits of belonging to an Optimist Club is its autonomy. As an Optimist Club, you are free to do the programs that you think will impact your community the most. As your social media director, Internet safety is one that I think is important. I'm available to help you decide how your club might get involved. Send me a message and let's chat!
