Oldenburg Girls' House: Strong together against cell phone addiction and cyberbullying!

Oldenburg Girls' House: Strong together against cell phone addiction and cyberbullying!

The Oldenburg Girls' House offers girls and young women a safe space to deal with the digital world competently and confidently. In times when one in four young people in Germany shows signs of cell phone addiction, this is more in demand than ever. NDR reports that prevention is particularly important because dealing with media is challenging for many young people. Media educator Annika Bremer emphasizes that many offers of help are designed for boys, whereas girls are often pushed into the background. That's why the girls' house has set itself the goal of bringing girls' digital self-assertion and media skills to the fore.

In keeping with the times

The digital world is an integral part of our young people’s everyday lives. However, it also brings with it challenges, such as the increased confrontation with gender-specific role models and the associated expectations. In the Girls' Meeting, which takes place as part of the girls' house, technical devices such as tablets and a smartboard are available. Here, participants learn in a playful way how to use technology and media while at the same time creating a positive digital experience. The Oldenburg girls' house has made it its mission to empower girls and help them use digital media critically and responsibly.

Week without cell phones

An exciting format was the recently held Digital Detox weekend, in which the participants were challenged to give up cell phones and technical devices. The goal? To learn to spend their free time without the constant distractions of the digital space and to discover their own needs without media influence. Many girls expressed that they often had difficulty self-regulating and feeling the urge to be online, highlighting the importance of such opportunities.

A safe place

In the safe environment of the girls' house, participants can also share experiences with cyberbullying and negative experiences on social media. It is alarming that one in four young people have contacted strange adults over the Internet, and this number is even higher among girls. This is where media education comes in by offering thematic units on responsible behavior in social networks and supporting girls in developing an awareness of their digital identity.

Focus on prevention

Another important project is the “Media Heroes” prevention program, which was awarded second place in the European Prize for Crime Prevention in 2015. It aims to prevent cyberbullying among children and young people. The program offers a variety of methods to strengthen media literacy and covers key topics such as internet safety and empathetic behavior, which are highly relevant for all boys and girls. As documented This manual is applicable for teachers and contains numerous resources that make it easier to implement in the classroom.

The young people experience the Oldenburg Girls' House initiative as an important building block for their mental health. The targeted promotion of media literacy enables them to not only deal critically with digital media, but also to use it independently. A place where girls can not only learn, but also experience community and develop self-confidence.