SWGfL shortlisted in prestigious 2011 Nominet Internet Awards
SWGfL’s innovative 360 degree safe has again been shortlisted in the annual Internet awards, competing for recognition in the UK and global Internet community.
17th June 2011 – SWGfL, the educational charitable trust and creator of 360 degree safe, has been shortlisted in the Nominet Internet Awards 2011, which highlight UK companies, charities and individuals that are making the difference on, or through, the internet.
Under the category, ‘Making the Internet safer’, SWGfL has been shortlisted for 360 degree safe. 360 degree safe offers schools the opportunity to access and improve their wider e safety provision. Schools are often at the ‘coalface’ when it comes to Internet related issues and research has highlighted many gaps. 360 degree safe allows schools to review their own practice and then offers specific suggestions to map out their improvements, achieving staged certificates along the way, culminating in the externally assessed ‘e-safety Mark’. SWGfL was delighted to receive a prestigious BETT award earlier in the year for 360 degree safe and has also been shortlisted in the ISPA awards.
The Nominet Internet Awards, aim to highlight organisations or individuals who have undertaken specific projects which raise Internet industry standards and showcase best practice. The nominations were reviewed by an independent panel of judges chaired by the Rt Hon Alun Michael MP, and included Will Gardner, CEO of Childnet International, Dr Vicki Nash at the Oxford Internet Institute and Professor Sonia Livingstone from the London School of Economics.
The awards are to run in partnership with the Nominet Trust, a body which supports initiatives that contribute to a safe and accessible internet. The Awards highlight projects which are making the Internet, a secure, open, accessible and diverse experience for all. The winners will be showcased at the next Internet Governance Forum (IGF) meeting in Kenya, and will be held up as a key example of Internet innovation in the UK, while bringing together, and improving, the global online community.
For the full list of shortlisted organisations, visit the Nominet Awards website
Hilary Guckian, SWGfL CEO said “We are delighted that 360 degree safe has again been shortlisted for a prestigious award. This news, along with the difference it is clearly making to the thousands of UK and International schools using it, is testimony to the tool, especially as it is only 18 months old. Clearly the Internet offers children amazing opportunities to enrich their learning and it is fabulous that 360 degree safe can effectively help schools to navigate supportive environments to nurture, engage and prepare the next generations”.
Lesley Cowley, CEO of Nominet says: “Each year we are impressed by the variety of ways that British businesses, charities and individuals continue to innovate to make the Internet a safe, accessible and helpful place for us all. The Internet has the power to have a positive impact on society and these shortlisted entries represent a small, shining proportion of the phenomenal work taking place in the UK”.
About SWGfL
SWGfL (www.swgfl.org.uk) is an educational trust of the 15 South West Local Authorities. The SWGfL Trust is committed to providing all 2,500 educational establishments throughout the South West with safe, secure and reliable broadband internet connections and broadband-enabled teaching & learning resources and services.
SWGfL has developed an international reputation within online safety. It is a founding member of UKCCIS (UK Council for Child Internet Safety) and has spoken at conferences across Europe, America and Africa. SWGfL, along with partners Childnet & IWF, launched the UK Safer Internet Centre in January 2011 as part of the European Commission’s Safer Internet Programme.
About the Internet Awards
The Nominet Internet Awards is an annual competition which is aimed at UK Individuals and organisations who are helping to make the internet a secure, open, accessible and diverse experience for everyone who uses it. These awards celebrate great UK internet projects by recognising achievement and innovation.
Building on the success of the past four years, we will recognise those organisations, groups and individuals who have embraced the challenge of making the internet a secure, open, accessible and diverse experience. Winners will be promoted in the UK and internationally as examples of best practice. Supporters of the Nominet Internet Awards include MPs, industry leaders, civil institutions, businesses, public sector and academia.
About Nominet
Nominet is a non-for-profit organisation responsible for the smooth and secure running of the .uk Internet infrastructure. A public service ethos drives everything we do – we strive to make the Internet an ever more trusted space for everyone who uses it.
As one of the world’s largest registries, we maintain a ‘directory’ of domain names ending in.uk, and run the technology which locates the computer hosting the website or email address you are looking for.
We set up and support the Nominet Trust, an independently run charity focussed on increasing access, safety and education on Internet issues.