If you’d like to make sure your kids are better prepared to avoid the predators they could face online, a seminar at the library could help.
On July 22, the Collingwood OPP school resource officer Const. Trevor McKean will be hosting an educational seminar for kids on online and social-media awareness at the Collingwood Public Library. The seminar is part of the OPP KIDS (Knowledge, Issues, Decisions and Supports) program typically offered in schools.
“Of all the presentations I do, this is the one that is the most important to me,” McKean told CollingwoodToday. “Protecting our youth is the most important thing we can do. If I could only do one lesson for the rest of my career, this would be the one I deliver.”
The OPP KIDS program was first rolled out in Collingwood and the Town of the Blue Mountains back in 2021, replacing the former DARE program.
In 2022, the Simcoe County District School Board and the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board both made the decision to end police-led programs in schools such as this one, and shifted to only allow police in schools by invitation.
While McKean has continued to offer the program at schools within the Bluewater District School Board in Thornbury, at Pretty River Academy and Elementary School Catholic Notre-Dame-De-La-Huronie in Collingwood, he said the force has been looking for a way to connect with area youth outside of the school setting to make sure all Collingwood and Blue Mountain kids have the same opportunities.
“From my experience, in a large crowd, people feel they’re anonymous. When online, kids think, 'what’s the harm? The person doesn’t know me so it’s not a big deal.' Kids can become the targets of human trafficking and exploitation,” explained McKean.
While the lesson is tailored to kids aged 10 to 13, McKean said he’d love to see kids younger than 10 show up.
“Kids are being exposed to these things at a much earlier age,” he said. “It’s important they know what’s out there.”
The seminar includes lessons on virtual fraud, cyberbullying, boundaries, social media safety and who to call for help if they ever find themselves in a sticky situation online.
McKean said there have been instances, within the Collingwood and Blue Mountain community, of adults charged with trying to arrange meetings with minors through the internet. He said when offering the program in schools, he’s had instances of kids approaching him afterward to talk about attempts to lure them online.
“We’re a tourist area. It’s an area of concern in relation to human trafficking and youth,” he said. “If we get it reported to us once, it’s happening many more times than that.”
McKean’s talk will take place at the Collingwood Public Library in community rooms B and C on July 22 at 1 p.m.
For more information or to register your kids, click here.
McKean said he’s interested in providing the program to parents or other interested youth groups. If you’d like to inquire about booking a presentation in the Collingwood/Blue Mountains area, email [email protected].
