Telstra Foundation announces three-year partnership with PROJECT ROCKIT to address the digital divide for regional teens

We’re investing $1.5 million in a 3-year partnership with PROJECT ROCKIT to offer schools across 33 regional communities free access to the Digital Futures program.
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Telstra Foundation’s Australian Youth Digital Index has provided a comprehensive snapshot of young Australians’ digital lives. What’s clear is that young people in regional and remote areas score lower in digital skills and wellbeing compared to their urban based peers, and that’s something we aiming to change.

So, we’re thrilled to announce that we’re investing $1.5 million in an innovative 3-year partnership with PROJECT ROCKIT to offer schools across 33 regional communities free access to the Digital Futures program, an impactful, youth-centred digital wellbeing program. 

Our Index has shown that youth digital wellbeing is an area where there is much work to do, especially in regional areas. Using these insights from young regional people, we’re taking action to empower them to have healthy lives online. 

Over the next 3 years, this new program will deliver in person digital citizenship workshops to 30,000 students in regional communities across Australia, provide online digital citizenship resources to reach an additional 250,000 young people, and it will improve community digital citizenship literacy, by engaging 900 parents and community members through online seminars. 

About the Digital Futures program

The program includes in person student workshops as well as tools and resources for schools, students and parents/carers. The program fosters self-awareness, critical thinking, boundary setting, and balanced online engagement, helping young people thrive in digital spaces by building their digital citizenship skills.

From February 2025, schools located in the first round of targeted regional locations will receive an offer to participate in the free digital safety and wellbeing program. Regional communities selected for Round 1 include:  

  • VIC: Traralgon, Wonthaggi, Robinvale, Mallee 
  • TAS: Launceston, Scottsdale, Devonport, Burnie, 
  • NSW: Wollongong, Cessnock, Lake Macquarie

It supports young people in regional Australia to be agents of positive change in their schools and communities and takes a “whole of community” approach by also upskilling parents, carers and teachers to tackle their online safety concerns regarding young people. Telstra Foundation will subsidise the program so there is no cost to the schools selected to participate. 

For more information about the program and how to get involved take a look at the video below and visit PROJECT ROCKIT.

About the Australian Youth Digital Index

The Australian Youth Digital Index project aims to identify and monitor the key drivers, issues, and opportunities that relate to young people’s relationships with digital technology. The research draws on both quantitative and qualitative data on young people’s digital lives, their attitudes, behaviours, perceptions, and experiences. Explore data from the index. 

About our partner PROJECT ROCKIT

PROJECT ROCKIT are Australia’s youth-driven movement against bullying, hate and prejudice. They empower school students to challenge bullying in school, online and beyond. PROJECT ROCKIT upholds a continuing commitment to a ‘young people at the centre’ model of social innovation, engaging young people at all levels of impact – from co-research, to co-design, to co-delivery. 

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