Youth panel of the Bulgarian SIC

Youth panel of the Bulgarian Safer Internet Centre is a voluntary structure which exists as a successful form of youth participation since 2010. Its members are young people aged 14-18 who meet face-to-face regularly (at least once per month) to develop their digital and media skills and play an important role in the initiatives and the events, organized by the Bulgarian SIC and its partners.

The young people plan and provide their own campaigns as the online campaign #YouAreTheHero (#ГероятСиТи) promoting positive online behaviour and countering hate speech and Cyberbulling, as well as their previous successful online campaign #облечисебе – “Dress up”. They organize and participate in activities for the annual Safer Internet Day celebration, the annual Youth forum “Voice It” (organized by the National Network for Children), the annual meeting of youth parliaments’ representatives in Gorna Oryahovitsa, the European Safer Internet Forum organized by the Better Internet for Kids network (the joint Insafe-INHOPE network of Safer Internet Centres in Europe). The young people also participate in other events (e.g. event for celebration of the international Children’s Rights Day organised by the European Parliament with support from UNICEF and Eurochild, Facebook Youth event which took place on 25th of February 2016 in Sofia, a conference of UNICEF and the Bulgarian State agency for cild protection, etc.). The members of the Youth panel can also participate in the researches, conducted by the Bulgarian Safer Internet Centre. The young people have the opportunity to express their opinions on hot topics of public debate and can organize discussions and provide their own activities to raise awareness about online safety among their peers.

The members of the Bulgarian SIC’s Youth panel get acquainted in-depth with the opportunities and risks in digital environment. They develop their strengths and talents, their public speaking and presentation skills, as well as their social and team working skills. The young people can participate in trainings and workshops in Bulgaria and other countries in Europe, as well as in webinars and online trainings in order to learn more about online communication and promotion of causes. The Youth panel’s members can also participate in TV programs and talk shows and create their own media content (write articles, create videos) on topics which are of their interest. They can develop skills for advocacy and get acquainted with the work of non-government organizations. They have the opportunity to meet other interesting young people, experts and policy makers.

Members of the Bulgarian SIC’s Youth panel also represent the youth organisation to national and international youth networks and councils, such as “Megaphone” Youth Network of the National Network for Children and the Eurochild Children’s Council.

More information about the activities of the members of the Bulgarian SIC’s Youth panel can be found here:

The SIC’s Youth Panel exchanges experience with young volunteers in Varna

Member of the Youth Panel successfully completes her term on the Eurochild Children’s Council

The SIC’s Youth panel visits Pernik

Youth volunteers from two organisations exchange experiences

The Youth Panel of the Bulgarian Safer Internet Centre visited important international forums

Safer Internet Day in Bulgaria – Launch of the #YouAreTheHero campaign

A campaign called “You Are The Hero” was launched on the Safer Internet Day

First training on media content creation for members of the SIC’s Youth panel was provided

The Youth panel of Bulgarian SIC participated at Voice it national youth forum

Members of the Bulgarian SIC’s Youth panel participated at international forums in Brussels

Safer Internet Day: Children, young people and teachers discussed fake news