In October, the Southwest Hub hosted two sessions with Brett Harvey from Tāima Kōrero – Time 2 Talk, focused on helping teachers and whānau navigate the fast-changing world of online safety.

The first session, held at St Thomas of Canterbury College, brought together primary educators from across our Kāhui Ako for an engaging and eye-opening presentation. Brett shared the latest research on how children and young people are interacting with the digital world, from gaming and social media to the growing influence of AI and exposure to harmful content.

Teachers learned practical ways to respond when students encounter unsafe or distressing material online. Brett emphasised the importance of using non-judgmental, trauma-informed language when supporting tamariki, offering examples of conversation starters for different age groups.

He also discussed the concept of being a 'first responder' in schools; how to calmly assess a student’s safety, build trust and connect them with appropriate support when needed.

Participants left with a deeper understanding of the challenges our students face behind their screens, as well as tools and resources to help create safer, more informed classroom discussions.

Later that week, families gathered at Villa Maria College for Behind the Screens, a free community event designed for parents and caregivers of children aged 3–18.

Brett’s talk combined honest conversation with the latest data, helping whānau understand what young people are really seeing online and how this content shapes their wellbeing and relationships. He encouraged parents to start open, ongoing discussions about online behaviour, highlighting that these conversations don’t need to be perfect, just consistent and caring.

The session left attendees with a clear message: connection and communication are the most powerful tools we have to keep our young people safe in the digital world.

For more information, resources and practical tools for teachers and whānau, visit:

www.taimakorero.co.nz/resources