Throughout January, our new Learning Hub in Woodley has been buzzing with conversation, curiosity and connection as we delivered three workshops: Online Harms – A Guide for Grandparents, funded by Autotrader. 

Across the sessions, we welcomed and trained 13 learners who came together with a shared goal: to better understand the online world their grandchildren are growing up in, and the risks that can come with it.

During the sessions, we explored some key topics, including the risks young people face when they are online, the apps and platforms they spend time on, and the hidden harms that aren’t always obvious at first glance. We talked about personal information – what it is, why it matters, and what should never be shared online – as well as how to spot red flags in online interactions, including stranger danger.

Learning wasn’t just about listening. Participants threw themselves enthusiastically into interactive activities such as Share or Overshare and Spot the Hidden Harms, which sparked thoughtful discussion and plenty of “lightbulb moments”. Over the three sessions, the group were open, sharing their own experiences, real-life situations, and their fears around their grandchildren being online.

One of the most powerful and meaningful conversations focused on how grandparents can raise concerns with their own children. There was a strong recognition that parenting today looks very different from when they were bringing up families themselves – this is a new digital world, with challenges that simply didn’t exist in the same way before. We talked about the importance of speaking without judgement, understanding that many parents may not yet have the knowledge they need around online safety, and recognising that screen time isn’t black and white. Children use screens for many reasons, and parents allow it for many reasons too – but education around the risks is key.

Feedback from the sessions has been overwhelmingly positive. Learners told us that this information is vital in helping them understand the risks young people face online. Many came into the sessions with little or no knowledge of the types of apps and content young people are using, with one learner sharing that:

 “it has certainly been a learning curve.”

While we know that understanding risks and using parental controls are important tools, what stood out most was the power of conversation. We truly believe that these discussions – happening in communities, in safe and supportive spaces – can foster meaningful, non-judgemental dialogue between generations. Those conversations can lead to greater understanding, stronger relationships, and ultimately, better outcomes for our young people.

This series may have come to an end, but the conversations it has sparked are only just beginning. Watch out for the next phase of our online harms work, Screen Struggles: Parenting in the Digital Age – interactive sessions for parents including: 

• Finding out the hidden risks in the apps they use 
• Getting support to set up parental controls 
• Understanding how to have conversations about the online world with your child