Cybersafe Families launched in the Hills

Posted January 25, 2018

Federal Member for Mayo Rebekha Sharkie was the special guest at the official launch of the Hills-based business Cybersafe Families at Stirling this week.

Photograph: Federal Member for Mayo Rebekha Sharkie, left, was the special guest at the official launch of the Hills-based business Cybersafe Families founded by Danielle Verrilli and her brother and sister-in-law Michelle and Chris Greene.

Cybersafe Families provides a range of education, training and counselling services to help children, parents and guardians with cyber safety issues.

The business is run by Chris and Michelle Greene of Balhannah and their sister Danielle Verrilli who have more than 20 years of experience in the education, counselling, technology and marketing sectors.

The trio also draw on their experiences as parents and their business has been certified by the Children’s eSafety Commissioner.

At the launch, Chris said South Australia had more than 700 schools and one education department could not do all the work that needed to be done on cyber safety.

“It is really important for us to get into rural and regional schools to remind students and parents that in cyberspace, children all have access to exactly the same resources and experiences,” he said.

“It doesn’t depend on where you live and you aren’t physically in a different setting like you are in your community.”

As a parent Rebekha said it was difficult to keep up with technology.

“You might think you are doing all the right things, such as placing the computer in a communal area of the home, but you don’t always understand the different apps your children are using,” she said.

“Technology is changing rapidly, forcing parents to have challenging conversations with our children and it helps to be equipped with the right information and some useful strategies.”

At the launch, Rebekha spoke about the ongoing collaboration between the Nick Xenophon Team and the Stirling-based Carly Ryan Foundation, run by Sonya Ryan.

Sonya is the mother of Carly, a teenager murdered by a predator who befriended over the internet using a fake online persona.

“When it comes to cyber safety, we need many different services to engage with young people both within the school setting and in our homes,” Rebekha said.

More information about Cybersafe Families is available online here https://cybersafefamilies.com.au/