Skills framework for preventing cyberbullying among young people

The “Reference Framework for Cyberbullying Prevention Skills Among Young People” was developed by Printemps numérique as part of the Quebec Ministry of Family Affairs' “Together Against Bullying*” program. This project aims to equip educators and community workers with the tools they need to prevent cyberbullying among young people.

The framework was developed using the Dacum method, a competency-based approach, using verbs from taxonomies (Bloom, 1956; Krathwohl et al., 1969). During co-construction workshops, experts formulated competencies that highlighted different types of knowledge.

The competencies were classified according to five themes of digital citizenship (Freiman et al., 2018): social aspects, personal aspects, legal aspects and security, technical competencies, and non-technical competencies. The framework is structured around two main axes, four dimensions, four areas of knowledge, and eleven major families of competencies, and proposes a progression from simple to complex levels to guide the development of educational training programs.

During the presentation, the structure and methodology of the framework will be explained, followed by discussions on cyberbullying prevention and its educational and community impact, particularly how it can strengthen support for young people and assist educators and youth workers in their work. This session will provide an opportunity to reflect on ways to develop the skills needed to thrive in a digital world that respects the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and promotes the safety and well-being of young people.

* See the report “Cyberviolence among young people: The challenges of cyberbullying” by sociologist and research director Dr. Amina Yagoubi Kurtin.