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January 2001
AWARDS WINNING INTERNET CHILDREN CHAMPION SOCIAL ISSUES
Two UK websites are among the ten sites nominated today
as winners of Childnet Awards for 2001. The children
behind all ten nominated sites have already won a week's
holiday
in Washington DC, which will include the awards ceremony
on 19th April 2001. At the ceremony in Washington they
will discover if their site has won first, second or
third in their category.
Sponsored by Cable & Wireless, the Childnet Awards
are an international initiative which rewards children
and those working with them who are developing outstanding
Internet projects which benefit other children.
This year the Awards attracted a record number of entries
- over 200 from 47 countries, worldwide. This year's ten
short-listed projects come from Australia, Canada, Finland,
Germany, The Netherlands, USA and the UK, and include projects
by individuals, schools and not-for-profit groups and governments.
The Childnet judges are not just looking for technical
expertise or sophisticated web design work, but rather
how children are using the Internet to connect and engage
with others and break down barriers.
One of the UK nominations, 16 year old Oli Watts, created
his Pupiline website to help himself and other children
overcome their fear of bullying. Oli has been able to build
up a team of 15 other young people who now produce the
online webzine as a place "where young people can
put over their views and ideas and get advice on things
that are affecting people everywhere".
The other UK nominated project is in the Government category,
where Cambridgeshire County Council's Superhighway Alert,
is a winner. This site enables children in primary school
to help solve a scenario created by the emergency services
in co-operation with the Council and Ordnance Survey.
Many of this year's projects challenge children and adults
about their attitude to important social issues. Nigel
Williams, Childnet's Director says, "Whilst many adults
use the Internet just to make purchases, be entertained
and communicate, this year's Childnet Award winners are
being much more innovative and discovering the true worth
of the Net to change our world for the better."
For example another project on the winners shortlist is
Flat Stanley, from Canada. Flat Stanley enabled children
to donate books and food to those with Leprosy in Brazil.
The site encourages children at different schools in over
15 countries to exchange experiences, including photographs
of a paper character called Stanley who comes alive through
the Internet.
One of this year's Childnet Award judges, Trond Waage,
the Norwegian Ombudsman for Children, says, "At a
time when there is less "public space" in which
children can express their feelings about their lives,
we are seeing in the Childnet Awards how children are using
the Net to share their lives, create and inspire others
and form a new online 'community' which is not restricted
to national boundaries."
The Awards have been sponsored by Cable and Wireless plc
since 1997. Stephen Pettit, Executive Director of Corporate
Development and one of the Awards judges says, "Cable & Wireless
is delighted to be involved with Childnet, which is working
so hard to improve the lives and promote the interests
of children around the world. As one of the Awards judges
I never fail to be surprised at both the variety and quality
of the entries which are a tribute to the young people
involved."
Further sponsorship for the 2001 Awards has come from
Alcatel who have sponsored the Government category award
this year.
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