“Your Personal Safety”: a new online course for high school as part of the ‘HOVORY’

As part of the ‘HOVORY’ project, the UCU Child Dignity Centre has launched a new free online course, "Your Personal Safety", for high school pupils. It helps teenagers to better understand personal boundaries, recognise dangerous situations and know where to seek support.

The project team is convinced that educational resources for children should be created in collaboration with the children themselves, as they are the ones who know best what challenges they face on a daily basis. That is why, ahead of the course launch, a ‘GOVORY’ marathon was organised, bringing together around 100 secondary school pupils from over 20 educational institutions in Lviv.

Over the month, the teenagers created videos and shared their thoughts on personal boundaries, safe and unsafe touch, bullying, online safety, support and the right to speak out about what is troubling them. The best entries were incorporated into the educational course, making it more relatable and understandable for their peers.

"We wanted this course to be not just about safety, but also about trusting the voices of the teenagers themselves. After all, they understand best the situations they face, what causes them anxiety or confusion, and what is difficult to talk about with adults. When we create educational materials together with children, they become not only more relevant but also much closer to those for whom they are intended. It was important to us that teenagers became not just participants, but co-creators of the course,” says Nataliia Tarnovska, head of projects and programs in the Education direction at the UCU Child Dignity Centre.

The online course consists of seven short video lessons covering situations that anyone might face. In particular, course participants will learn:

• how to recognise manipulation and toxic behaviour;
• how to say ‘stop’ when personal boundaries are being violated;
• why it is important not to remain silent about bullying;
• how to look after their own safety in both online and offline environments;
• where to turn for help and support.

The course has been designed to provide teenagers not only with knowledge, but also with practical tools to help them navigate difficult situations, assert their boundaries and ensure they are not left to cope with their feelings on their own.

The Centre for Child Dignity emphasises that modern education is not just about academic knowledge. It is also about creating a safe educational environment in which every child knows their rights, is able to look after themselves and is not afraid to speak out about what matters.

The course is delivered in an asynchronous online format, so you can complete it at a time that suits you. The total duration of the course is just 17 minutes. Upon successful completion, participants will receive a certificate.

You can take the ‘Your Personal Safety’ course free of charge on the ‘HOVORY’ website.