We are proud to have partnered with Norton for over a decade on Surf Smart, a global programme that empowers girls and young women to stay safe online and become confident digital citizens.
In 2011, WAGGGS and Norton, one of Gen’s trusted Cyber Safety brands, partnered together to produce Surf Smart. Surf Smart is a non-formal education programme designed to educate young people about online safety, digital citizenship, and cyber wellness. The programme promotes informed, safe, and responsible online behaviour.
Since its inception, Surf Smart has empowered over 850,000 young people in over 100 countries.
The Surf Smart curriculum was piloted in the UK, France and Germany with over 100,000 Girl Guides and Girl Scouts taking part. It was then adapted to the African context including advice for mobile internet users and has since expanded globally, now delivered across 5 continents.
In February 2021, Surf Smart 2.0 Generation Digital was launched. This unique resource has provided girls and young women with the knowledge and skills to protect themselves and others online as well as raise their voices as responsible citizens of the world.
In 2023 we launched the Global Advocacy Fund, which educates young people on how to be responsible digital citizens and how to create a more inclusive internet. Through the programme, "Smart Surfers" learn the skills to design and implement their own digital advocacy campaigns.
In 2025 we will launch of the next phase of Surf Smart 2.0. This next phase 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.
"As a proud partner of WAGGGS, Norton believes everyone should have the tools and resources they need to stay safe online. We want to empower young people around the world to live their digital lives safely and we make this happen by partnering with WAGGGS."
Find out more about Surf Smart 2.0 here.
We were delighted that Surf Smart won in the Best Educational Programme category at the 2022 Corporate Engagement Awards, which recognises the most successful and innovative corporate partnerships.