In the final episode of the Be Cyber Safe NI Takeover, young people and adults come together to look ahead — exploring how families can navigate the digital world side by side with trust, understanding, and openness.

Hosted by Maria, this episode features honest reflections from Matylda, Theo, Ethan, and Darragh, alongside youth worker Paula, who has supported the group throughout the project. Together, they unpack the reality that parents and young people often live in very different digital worlds — and why closing that gap matters more than ever.

The conversation explores:

• Why parents and young people experience the online world so differently
• How parents can better understand the apps, games, and platforms young people use
• Why social media is about more than screens — it’s about belonging and connection
• How to encourage healthy breaks from screens without making it feel like punishment
• The importance of offline time, presence, and shared family moments
• What really helps when something goes wrong online
• Why calm, non-judgemental responses make it easier for young people to ask for help

The episode ends with a powerful reminder: there is no perfect rulebook for growing up online. Mistakes will happen — but when families listen, learn, and respond together, young people feel safer, supported, and more confident asking for help.

This final instalment brings the Be Cyber Safe NI Takeover to a thoughtful close, reinforcing a simple but vital message for parents and carers: online safety works best when it’s built on conversation, trust, and learning together.

In Episode 2 of the Be Cyber Safe NI Takeover, the youth advisory group continues their honest conversation about what life online really looks like — this time focusing on something every family has to navigate: boundaries and trust.

Hosted again by Maria (15, Portadown), this episode features real discussions from Matylda, Theo, Ethan, Darragh, and youth worker Paula. Together, they explore what healthy online boundaries actually feel like from a young person’s perspective, and how parents can keep children safe without feeling overly strict or intrusive.

The group talks openly about:

• When children should start learning about being online
• Whether there should be age limits for phones, social media, and internet access
• The role of parental controls — what helps and what feels like “too much”
• How trust develops as young people grow
• Why privacy becomes so important for teens
• How parents and young people often see digital risks differently

The result is a thoughtful, down-to-earth conversation that highlights the delicate balance every family tries to find: keeping young people safe while giving them space to grow, learn, and build independence.

This episode is a practical, relatable listen for parents, carers, and professionals who want to better understand the realities of navigating online life together.

This episode launches the Be Cyber Safe NI Takeover — a special three-part youth-led mini-series produced by Children in Northern Ireland (CiNI) in partnership with the NSPCC.

Be Cyber Safe NI is a new advisory group of young people, aged 13–17, from across Northern Ireland. Working with CiNI and NSPCC, they explore issues like online privacy, harmful content, AI, and mental health, and share their views directly with parents, policymakers, and professionals.

Through this takeover series, the group takes over the Parentline NI Podcast feed to share what life online really looks like from their side of the screen — honest, personal, and sometimes challenging conversations designed to help parents understand the digital world through young people’s eyes.

In Episode 1 – “Speaking Up”, Maria (15, Portadown) hosts a conversation about why young people often find it difficult to tell parents when something goes wrong online.
Featuring real conversations from Theo, Ethan, Matylda, Darragh, and youth worker Paula, the episode explores fear, embarrassment, and trust — and what actually helps when young people need support.

It’s a thoughtful, down-to-earth discussion for parents, carers, and anyone who wants to build stronger communication around online life.