Be Cyber Safe NI is a youth-led advisory group launched in January 2025 by Children in Northern Ireland (CiNI), delivered in partnership with the NSPCC.
Who we are
Be Cyber Safe NI is a youth-led advisory group launched in January 2025 by Children in Northern Ireland (CiNI), delivered in partnership with the NSPCC. We are part of a wider UK effort, connected to the NSPCC’s Voice of Online Youth project, and similar to groups in Wales, and Scotland.
Our purpose is simple but vital: to ensure that the voices of children and young people in Northern Ireland are heard in debates about online safety. Young people today spend more time online than ever before, yet their perspectives are often missing when policies and solutions are shaped. Be Cyber Safe NI is here to change that.
What We Do
The group is made up of 10 young people (aged 13–17) from across Northern Ireland. Together, we:
- Explore online safety challenges – from harmful content and advertising to privacy, AI, and mental health.
- Lead peer engagement – gathering insights from young people across Northern Ireland.
- Create advocacy materials – podcasts, videos, graphics, and reports to amplify youth voices.
- Shape solutions – feeding our recommendations into local government, Stormont, and UK-wide policy discussions
Our activities include monthly workshops, residentials, creative production sessions, and events where we present directly to decision-makers at the Northern Ireland Assembly.
How CiNI and Partners Support Us
CiNI provides leadership, safeguarding, and strategic coordination, ensuring that our voices reach policymakers and professionals who design online safety strategies.
We work in partnership with community-based youth organisations across Northern Ireland, including:
- Blackmountain Action Group (Belfast)
- Patrician Youth Centre (Downpatrick)
- Oasis Youth (Portadown)
- Clonmore Youth Club (Dungannon)
- Dry Arch Children’s Centre (Limavady)
This partnership approach ensures our work is locally rooted and regionally connected – giving us credibility both in our own communities and at the highest levels of decision-making.
Why We Are Important
Online safety is one of the defining issues for this generation of children and young people. Research shows:
- Children are going online at younger ages than ever before.
- Online harms – from cyberbullying to grooming and exposure to harmful content – are on the rise.
- Existing controls and safety measures often fail to reflect the lived realities of young people.
By bringing together youth voices, we help ensure that responses to online harm are realistic, effective, and designed with young people in mind.
Looking Ahead
Be Cyber Safe NI will continue through 2025–26, with a focus on:
- Expanding our reach – gathering insights from more young people across NI.
- Strengthening youth leadership – equipping members with skills in advocacy, public speaking, and campaigning.
- Influencing real change – ensuring our recommendations are reflected in education, regulation, and resources.
Get Involved
Want to learn more, partner with us, or support Be Cyber Safe NI?
Contact: ernest@ci-ni.org.uk
Together, we can amplify young voices and create a safer digital world for children and young people in Northern Ireland.
