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D. van Greunen and A. Veldsman
youth. A study conducted in Nelson Mandela Bay in Port Elizabeth among 1594
primary and secondary school children, indicated that 36% of the respondents had
experienced some form of cyberbullying (Badenhorst 2011). South Africa is lacking
specific legislation dealing with cyberbullying leaving victims to rely on remedies
offered by criminal law or civil law. Youth leaders have a significant role to play in
creating awareness about the types of behaviour that constitute cyberbullying as well
as how and where cyberbullying can be reported. Being part of virtual communities
themselves, allow them to build positive digital citizenship among members and
share the various helplines and support groups with their peers.
6.10 Using ICT to Drive Change
Understanding change
In order to effect change, one has to know what the condition is that needs to be
changed, what the preferred future condition should be and how to go about it. New
youth leaders are therefore put through a structured change management process to
drive change, where after they have to apply it to their personal lives. This exercise
provides valuable insight into the kind of undesirable situations young people are
faced within their communities. Issues such as drug and alcohol abuse, gangsterism,
teenage pregnancies, violence, disrespect and disorderly behaviour impact negatively
on their lives. Early school dropouts are leaving the available workforce unskilled,
thus adding to the already high level of unemployment.
The role of ICT
Today’s youth are much more comfortable with using technology than previous generations. They are therefore encouraged to develop the capacity to solve challenges
and so drive change in their own communities using mobile technology. The Northern Areas computer facilities were established with specifically this in mind. Not
only are desktop computers available for computer literacy training but also tablets
to make technology attractive for the younger generation. At-risk youth are encouraged to make use of the facility to first educate them about ICT facilitates the creation
and sharing of information. The focus is on protecting their will to use ICT to drive
change in a manner that will encourage change but keeping the potential threats
in mind. Threats include the risk of cybercrime and bullying, inappropriate use of
the technology to support criminal activities or even the use of technology for the
production of inappropriate materials such as pornography.
Since 2012 to date, the use of various forms of technologies is observed. The
technologies range from structured uses in a controlled environment such as the
computer facilities in a protected area to own mobile phones in a virtual world with
potentially an unknown identity. Over time, the following lessons and changes were
observed:
D. van Greunen and A. Veldsman
youth. A study conducted in Nelson Mandela Bay in Port Elizabeth among 1594
primary and secondary school children, indicated that 36% of the respondents had
experienced some form of cyberbullying (Badenhorst 2011). South Africa is lacking
specific legislation dealing with cyberbullying leaving victims to rely on remedies
offered by criminal law or civil law. Youth leaders have a significant role to play in
creating awareness about the types of behaviour that constitute cyberbullying as well
as how and where cyberbullying can be reported. Being part of virtual communities
themselves, allow them to build positive digital citizenship among members and
share the various helplines and support groups with their peers.
6.10 Using ICT to Drive Change
Understanding change
In order to effect change, one has to know what the condition is that needs to be
changed, what the preferred future condition should be and how to go about it. New
youth leaders are therefore put through a structured change management process to
drive change, where after they have to apply it to their personal lives. This exercise
provides valuable insight into the kind of undesirable situations young people are
faced within their communities. Issues such as drug and alcohol abuse, gangsterism,
teenage pregnancies, violence, disrespect and disorderly behaviour impact negatively
on their lives. Early school dropouts are leaving the available workforce unskilled,
thus adding to the already high level of unemployment.
The role of ICT
Today’s youth are much more comfortable with using technology than previous generations. They are therefore encouraged to develop the capacity to solve challenges
and so drive change in their own communities using mobile technology. The Northern Areas computer facilities were established with specifically this in mind. Not
only are desktop computers available for computer literacy training but also tablets
to make technology attractive for the younger generation. At-risk youth are encouraged to make use of the facility to first educate them about ICT facilitates the creation
and sharing of information. The focus is on protecting their will to use ICT to drive
change in a manner that will encourage change but keeping the potential threats
in mind. Threats include the risk of cybercrime and bullying, inappropriate use of
the technology to support criminal activities or even the use of technology for the
production of inappropriate materials such as pornography.
Since 2012 to date, the use of various forms of technologies is observed. The
technologies range from structured uses in a controlled environment such as the
computer facilities in a protected area to own mobile phones in a virtual world with
potentially an unknown identity. Over time, the following lessons and changes were
observed: