VODAFONE : TO HELP PARENTS AND CHILDREN BECOME DIGITALLY RESILIENT

• Vodafone UK starts distribution of a million copies of its new Digital Parenting Magazine to promote digital resilience
• A new e-learning game, in partnership with the Scouts, will be launched alongside it to promote e-safety for children
• New online research highlights importance of digital resilience with 62% of children saying they don't know how to handle peer pressure online

Vodafone UK has started the distribution of a million copies of the fifth edition of its Digital Parenting Magazine, created in partnership with Parent Zone, which provides parents and those who work with young people, with the tools to help children develop digital resilience. This is in conjunction with the launch of an exciting new e-safety game, as part of its partnership with the Scouts, to support the Digital Maker and Digital Citizen badges which Vodafone sponsors.

The importance of Vodafone's focus on digital resilience, which is ensuring young people have the skills they need to cope with a connected world, is highlighted by online research conducted by YouGov which shows that nearly two thirds (62%) of children online (8-15 years old) struggle with the knowledge of how to handle peer pressure .

Research also shows that although 67% of 5-7 year olds and 91% of 8-11 year olds have frequent access to the internet, with two thirds (66%) of them believing they can avoid unsafe websites, the main challenge faced is having the emotional literacy and digital skills to cope with peer pressure, such as pranks, dares or bullying. Alarmingly, more than 60% of children stated they do not know how to cope with it, nor help a friend who was experiencing it.

The Digital Parenting magazine is now in its fifth edition, with over 4 million copies having been distributed since the first edition in 2009. It is designed to bring together not only information on staying safe online, but tips to ensure children are also enjoying the internet and getting the most from it. Covering everything from bloggers and gaming, to social media and cyber bullying, the new guide helps parents, teachers and children navigate the digital world.

Vodafone UK, supported by the Vodafone Foundation, launched its partnership with The Scouts in January with the aim of helping young people develop improved digital skills, safety and confidence. The new interactive game, which has been launched as an app and developed by We Are Digital and Sponge UK, builds on that aim. It provides a fun camp setting for children to explore with four interactive 'sections' focusing on key e-safety skills including: sharing information; friendship online; and where to go for further help - through a series of mini games involving building a raft and dodging dangerous camp items. As well as being an integral part of the new digital Scouting badges, the game will also feature in around 100 Vodafone retail stores. It's readily available on both iOS and android for everyone to enjoy from today.

Edward Timpson, Minister of State for Vulnerable Children and Families, said: 'While we want children and young people to be able to enjoy and benefit from new technology, it can be unsafe and leave them vulnerable. No filtering and monitoring system can be 100% effective all of the time, so education about how to stay safe online is very important.'

Vicki Shotbolt, CEO of Parent Zone commented: 'Parents need a huge range of information in order to guide their children through the online world. That's why the Digital Parenting Magazine is such a critical resource. Our research highlights that parenting is the key to building digital resilience in children, but for parents to be able to play their part they need the information Digital Parenting provides.'

Helen Lamprell, Vodafone UK Director or Corporate and External Affairs said 'At Vodafone, we believe providing digital connectivity has transformed the world we live in and improved lives for better, but there is a challenge that comes with a world where our digital and physical lives are intertwined. Today, we as parents need to help our children become digitally resilient to be able cope with both good and bad behaviour online.'

Vodafone's commitment to digital resilience will be continued through a number of programmes including the Diana Award 'Be Strong' peer-to-peer modules distributed online. Putting cyberbullying at the heart of the teaching, they have been downloaded over 1400 times by schools already as key resource for teaching young people how to stay safe online.

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Notes to editors:

About Vodafone UK

Vodafone is one of the world's largest telecommunications companies and provides a range of services including voice, messaging, data and fixed communications. Vodafone has mobile operations in 26 countries, partners with mobile networks in 55 more, and fixed broadband operations in 17 markets. As of 30 June 2016, Vodafone had 465 million mobile customers and 13.7 million fixed broadband customers. For more information, please visit: www.vodafone.com.

Vodafone UK partners with businesses of all sizes - from start-ups and small businesses to the largest corporates and the public sector. The company has worked with UK businesses for over 30 years, starting out as a mobile provider and becoming one of the UK's leading total communications partners. It provides a range of voice and data services, secure communications infrastructure, fixed and call centre capability, unified communications and was the first mobile phone operator to offer a truly converged service for fixed and mobile.

Vodafone is currently spending around £1 billion on its network and services across the UK following a similar amount spent last year. This includes £200 million on its network in London, the introduction of its 4G service to more than 890 cities and towns, as well as thousands of smaller communities whilst also making network improvements across its UK 3G network. Meanwhile, The Vodafone Rural Open Sure Signal programme is also aiming to bring 3G coverage for the first time to 100 remote communities across the UK.

Vodafone UK

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