Shaping Safer Digital Spaces: A Youth Advocate’s Perspective

Jessica Ishimwe

My name is Jessica Ishimwe, a second year IT student majoring in Software Development. I have a deep passion for how technology shapes everyday life and how it can be used to create meaningful and accessible real-world solutions.

As someone who enjoys helping others and being the bridge between those who need support and those who have power to create change. I sought leadership roles within my school to fulfill that belief. So, my engagement in advocacy began in middle school when I was selected as a prefect and later selected as a student representative for my state (SA SRC) which is now known as the young changemakers program.  In this role, I collaborated with passionate students from various schools to discuss and develop solutions for key issues affecting young people and students around our state. My focus areas included promoting sustainability in schools and advocating for free public transportation for students. The student representatives then presented our ideas to members of parliament, contributing to meaningful policy discussions. This experience strengthened my passion for advocacy, collaboration, and youth-led change and values that continue to drive my pursuits today.

I have also had the privilege of attending and contributing to government-initiated events, summits, and discussions on critical topics such as the social media ban for children under 16, digital rights, youth cyber safety and the evolving tech landscape. Engaging in these spaces has allowed me to bring fresh perspectives, advocate for meaningful change, and bridge the gap between policymakers and the digital generation.

I have built a strong passion for learning about how technology affects people and with my experience in initiatives that tackle the relationship between technology and young people especially which resulted in my interest for this summit on Safer Internet Day.

The Event

Safer Internet Day is a Global Day of Action marked in over 180 countries. In Australia, it’s a national moment to spotlight online safety and spark important conversations across workplaces, schools, communities, and government. This year the theme was “Advice to my Younger Self”.

This conversation was brought to Australia’s Parliament House through a youth led event hosted by the eSafety commissioner. Following the theme, the summit explored the lived experiences of young Australians growing up online and the advice they’d share with their younger selves. The room was full of a diverse range of individuals and senior leaders across government, mental health, education, and youth sectors who came for the same goal – to collaborate on improving  online safety and encouraging young people to navigate digital spaces.

I was one of the three panellist who had to amazing opportunity to share my experience as a young person who grew up in the digital space. From advice to young children about phone addiction to what I would like to see change in schools about digital literacy, the Safer Internet Day Summit provided a powerful platform to amplify youth voices and influence meaningful change in online safety.

What I would like to see happen, like and advocacy ask. 

After attending the Safer Internet Day Summit and gaining insight into current online safety challenges, policy discussions and other young people’s perspective, I feel more motivated to advocate for stronger digital education and youth inclusion in decision making spaces. One thing I would love to see happen is the integration of comprehensive digital literacy programs in all schools from an early age.

In addition, providing young people with spaces such as hubs, community programs and safe in-person social environments  would greatly increase their sense of belonging and real-world connection, which will ultimately fill the gap that that social media left.

Furthermore, schools should educate parents on digital safety and online trends to assist them in navigating  social media platforms and digital tools so that they can prevent the issues which arise once young people turn 16 and can access social media. This includes knowing who to trust and what information to give out on social media, recognising online risks and setting healthy boundaries round technology use.

Importantly, I would like to see greater accountability placed on social media platforms, ensuring that they take stronger responsibility for their user safety through better moderation and protection for young users.