A Tale of Two Cities 11 October 2004
A Tale of Two Cities 11 October 2004
Mobile technology helps young people make the connectionsChildnet International – the children’s internet charity today launched its annual CHILDNET CHALLENGE programme, which over the next 5 days will involve pupils from both Belfast and Dublin using the latest mobile phone technology to connect with each other and at the same time create a website about the different cities.
In its second year, this innovative programme seeks to bring together young people from different backgrounds who wouldn’t normally communicate with each other. As well as face-to-face interaction and participation in “quest” type challenge activities in the different cities, the young people will also be trained in using the latest 2.5 G mobile phones to communicate creatively with each other and capture information about each other’s cities (using photos, video clips, interviews, and text messages). The information gathered will then be uploaded directly from location onto the Challenge website. In this way pupils in schools can see the young people’s content, follow the challenge activities and engage in the issues discussed.
The pilot programme is a joint partnership between Childnet, schools in both Northern Ireland and in Dublin as well as Vodafone and Vodafone Group Foundation in the UK and Eire. The project has also had generous in-kind support from various mobile handset manufacturers as well as funding and support from The Digital Hub, through the Diageo Liberties Learning Initiative. The Digital Hub is an Irish Government initiative to create an International Digital Enterprise Area in the Liberties area of Dublin.
David Casey, the Childnet Challenge Project Manager said,
“We know that young people love mobile phone technology and enjoy experimenting and communicating. We want to encourage positive use of mobile technology and want to empower them to start to use the tools for educational benefit and to break down barriers.”
The project was first piloted last year in Northern Ireland when 12 young people from a variety of Catholic and Protestant schools were involved. Pupils from these schools will also be involved this year and have helped develop some of the challenge activities. Since last year, the technology to upload text and pictures from mobile phones directly to the web has advanced significantly. For this reason, this year the project will explore how effectively this technology can be used and what educational opportunities can come from this fluid interaction.
The Challenge programme will begin at the Ulster Folk Museum in Belfast on the 11th of October, with the young people taking part in challenges in Belfast before moving down to the Dublin midweek. Pupils from the schools involved will be encouraged to follow the journey on the Challenge website.
Stephen Carrick –Davies, CEO of Childnet says,
“It is increasingly important to showcase ways in which the new mobile communication tools can be used positively and safely and to allow young people themselves to lead the way and create their own learning tools and websites. I hope that this programme can be replicated further and that schools will begin to see ways in which to harness the positive power of these tools for education.”
Tara Delaney, communications director Vodafone Ireland said,
“Over recent years, a growing number of parents have recognised the usefulness of mobile phone technology to keep in touch with their children. With this has come a consequent increase in usage, presenting us as an industry with both opportunities and challenges. We are delighted to be associated with the Childnet Challenge as it enables us to be involved with a project that will address all elements associated with young people’s usage of mobile phones.“
Philip Flynn, Chief Executive Officer, Digital Hub Development Agency says,
“Here at The Digital Hub we are working through the Diageo Liberties Learning Initiative to provide state of the art digital education initiatives to the local schools and wider community. We work in partnership with 16 local schools and the local community of the Liberties, and we are delighted to have this opportunity to share our experience and knowledge to help make the Childnet Challenge successful.”
See a Newsround report on the 200 Childnet Challenge in Ireland.
Contact information:
Notes to editors:
ABOUT CHILDNET INTERNATIONAL:
Childnet International is a registered charity, set up in 1996 - with the mission to work in partnership with others around the world to help make the internet a great and safe place for children. The vision of the organisation is to ensure that all those involved in developing, producing, controlling, using and regulating international telecommunications (current and future), recognize and implement policies and programmes which prioritize the rights of children so that their interests are both promoted and protected. For more information about Childnet International go to www.childnet-int.org.
ABOUT VODAFONE GROUP FOUNDATION.
The Vodafone Ireland Foundation (VIF) is the national arm of the Vodafone Group Foundation. The VIF was established in September 2003 as a registered charity and is the first Foundation of its kind in Ireland. VIF focuses on supporting non-profit organisations and partnering with environmental and conservation groups to help enrich the local communities in which Vodafone’s customers, employees, investors and suppliers operate. The Vodafone Ireland Foundation is an integral part of Vodafone Ireland’s overall corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme, which aims to maximise the environmental and societal benefits that mobile telecommunications can bring, while minimising any negative impacts.
Vodafone Group Foundation was first launched in London in 2002 as part of a global strategy that governs the Corporate Community Investment/Charity activities of the Vodafone Group. Its mission statement is:
“The Foundation makes social investments that help the people of the world have fuller lives by: Sharing the benefits of developments in mobile communications technology as widely as possible; Protecting the natural environment; and Supporting the local communities in which Vodafone’s customers, employees, investors and suppliers live”.
ABOUT THE DIGITAL HUB
The Digital Hub is an Irish Government initiative to create an international digital enterprise centre in the heart of Dublin city. Although essentially an enterprise project, The Digital Hub is also an urban regeneration project, and has a specific community and education remit. The Digital Hub delivers on this education remit through the Diageo Liberties Learning Initiative. Supported by €2.6 million funding from Diageo Ireland, the Diageo Liberties Learning Initiative provides state of the art digital education initiatives to the local schools, wider community and the emerging digital media sector, and reflects the national priorities of building a knowledge-based society and addressing the ‘digital divide’.