Period of implementation of the project: 

9 February, 2021 – ongoing

Challenge: 

MTS, as a technology supplier, sees its responsibility for the development of a safe online environment for children and adolescents. It is the first Belarusian telecom operator to raise  its voice against cyberbullying.

In order to attract attention to this problem, MTS and UNICEF Belarus have launched the wide-scale campaign of #BullyingFreeInternet.

Goal: 

Help children and adolescents exposed to Internet violence.

Objectives: 

Disseminate information about the problem of cyberbullying among children 

Promote tools that can help in solving  a cyberbullying situation (8 800 100 16 11, kids.pomogut.by)

Organizing a fund-raising campaign. UNICEF Belarus will send all raised funds for training specialists in treatment of cyberbullying victims.

Solution: 

On the 9th of February, 2021, the World Safe Internet Day, MTS and UNICEF Belarus launched the cyberbullying prevention campaign among children and adolescents, #BullyingFreeInternet.

Under the project, MTS and UNICEF have developed several learning videos for children, parents and teachers.

They have also developed several tests/training aids used for  modelling situations based on real-life stories of the children affected by cyberbullying.

All materials have been developed in cooperation with psychologists; they offer specific assistance tools: ways to solve a specific problem, the telephone support number for children, the website offering anonymous and free psychological consultations.

The video clips and test/training aids have been posted and the project’s landing page http://www.mts.by/unicef/, the clips have also been posted at the mobile operator’s YouTube channel. 

What has been accomplished?

MTS and UNICEF have signed the Cooperation Agreement and they have held an online conference on the project launch day.

–  Seminars and webinars for teachers have been arranged, bringing in hundreds of attendees.

– An SMS campaign has been carried out to raise awareness about the project among MTS subscribers.

–  Advertisements have been placed on billboards, in the underground, in elevators and shared taxis throughout the country.

–  A campaign has been launched to raise funds for specialist training in treatment of cyberbullying victims.

– A special event has been carried out in MTS offices: visitors received a dedicated sticker pack for a donation towards the project. 

– Mass media have been engaged in the project promotion. Citydog e-magazine opened a regular column on the problem. The articles are gathering tens of thousands of views.

– Still, they had to get through to the main audience first of all, Therefore, they went to the place where Generations Z and Alpha literally live. They have engaged in the project with Belarusian bloggers who had huge youth audiences.  Millions of young Belarusians have learnt how to deal with cyberbullying owing to the TikTok clips, Instagram stories and other efforts.

Results: 

7.4+ million views of TikTok clips

210,000+ views of training videos in YouTube

25,000+ readings of materials about cyberbullying in the citydog.by regular column

20,000 posters in MTS communication offices 

1,300+ persons have taken the tests/training

32 boards in all regional capitals

Tools have been developed to raise funds for specialist training in treatment of cyberbullying victims.

Category: Peace

Company: Mobile TeleSystems JLLC

About the company: 

JLLC Mobile TeleSystems is the first and the singular cellular operator in Belarus, which received a Conformity Certificate of Quality Management System (QMS) to the requirements STB ISO 9001.

Sustainable Development Goals