WAGGGS and Norton have won the Big Impact Award at the Third Sector Awards for our Surf Smart 2.0 online safety programme.
We are delighted to have won the Big Impact Award at the 2025 Third Sector Awards, which recognises individuals and organisations in the not-for-profit sector who make a difference, transform lives and empower communities.
WAGGGS and Norton, one of Gen’s trusted Cyber Safety brands, have been working together since 2011 to empower young people to navigate the online world with confidence and safety. Through Surf Smart, girls and young women gain the skills to connect positively online, protect themselves from online threats and uphold their rights and reputation in digital spaces.
Over the past year, Surf Smart directly reached 80,098 girls and young women in 21 countries and territories with cyber awareness and trained 2,527 volunteer leaders in delivering the online safety curriculum. We know that the programme has a big impact, with 98% of participants feeling more able to identify if something is dangerous online.
"I am browsing more carefully. I can tell when a page is fake. I care more about my safety."
We are proud that the judges recognised the significance of this impact. Explaining why Surf Smart stood out, they said: “The model is clear and it’s an excellent achievement that all the hard work has led to continued improvement and advocacy in places such as the UN.”
Get involved!
- Girl Guide and Girl Scout groups can download the Surf Smart curriculum (in the four WAGGGS languages: Arabic, English, French, and Spanish) right now. Send your stories and pictures of how you’ve been involved to surfsmart@wagggs.org and tag #SurfSmart in your social media. We’d love to hear from you!
- Find out more about WAGGGS' strategic partnerships and how to register your interest in partnering with us.
Thank you
Winning this award showcases the impact and importance of long-term strategic partnerships. We’d like to thank our wonderful partner Norton, who have continued to provide invaluable expertise as we develop and innovate Surf Smart in response to the evolving needs of girls and young women around the world.
This year we are launching the next phase of Surf Smart 2.0. It will focus on expanding access to grassroots delivery, increasing advocacy opportunities and innovating the non-formal educational curriculum with relevant topics, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and mental health support in the digital space.