Global Network Online Forum - April 2026
Dear all,
Thank you so much for joining us for the final part of our three-part Forum series on keeping children safe online. It was genuinely encouraging to see so many of you there, and to hear your honest reflections as we brought this series to a close.
You are welcome to view her presentation again by clicking the image/link below (passcode y3AGp.h&).
Click to watch the video.
Building on what we have learned
Over the past few months, we’ve explored this topic together from different angles. For this final session, we wanted to move from what we know to what we can do next.
We began by briefly reflecting on the journey so far, recognising how our understanding has grown, but also acknowledging that many of the challenges we face are still complex and evolving.
Turning ideas into action
Kezia and Eleanor shared an example from the COVID-19 pandemic, when Viva developed simple phone mentoring tools from expert-developed parenting tips to support families during lockdown.
We introduced five online safety tips for parents developed by UNICEF (also available in Spanish), and Kezia then took us through a possible methodology for translating these tips into a simple, conversational programme that brings parents and children into dialogue around key issues. In doing this, we hoped to illustrate how complex guidance can be turned into something simple, clear, relational, and usable.
Your feedback
We really appreciated hearing your honest feedback about the complexity of the situation for children, young people and their families in your contexts. For example, children often feel more confident online than the adults around them; parents want to help, but don’t always feel equipped, and the digital world is constantly changing, making it hard to keep up.
Several of you shared that long, detailed resources are often not what families need. Instead, there was a strong call for content that is simple, short, and engaging — something that fits into everyday life.
There was also a recognition that different age groups need different approaches, and that in many contexts, cultural barriers can make open conversations between parents and children more difficult.
Moving forward together
As we approached the end of the session, there was a shared sense that we don’t yet have a simple solution for what we are trying to achieve together, but that there is a strong desire to keep learning and co-creating.
To support this, we’re really pleased to be launching a Viva Network WhatsApp Community, including a dedicated subgroup on online safety. This will be a space where we can continue the conversation — sharing ideas, asking questions, and learning from each other in a more ongoing, informal way.
We hope that the Community will be up and running in the next week or so. If you expressed interest in joining this online safety group during the session, we’ll be following up with you soon.
What next?
As you reflect on the past few sessions, we’d love to leave you with a simple question:
As we move forward, how might your network engage in shaping a shared, practical approach to online safety that could support families across our networks?
We will be in touch again soon to continue this conversation. Thank you again for your openness, honesty, and willingness to engage so deeply in this topic. We look forward to seeing you at the next Global Network Prayer meeting on Wednesday 29 April at 13:00 UTC.