Good digital citizenship is in your hands.

The "Break the Hate" documentary details the beginnings and vision of the Don't Click Initiative.

In 2020, 16-year old Henry Kerr wanted to learn more about the problem of online hate and extremism. With OPV’s help, he crafted a survey and shared with youth across his city.

The survey reached over 850 students and found that some 70% of youth are seeing violent and hateful content on their social media platforms.  It showed that online hate is a significant problem for many young people, who often don’t know what to do about it.

Wanting to take action, Henry and some of the survey respondents formed a small group. Don’t Click is a youth online hate and extremism prevention initiative. Since 2021, they have worked to give youth the tools they need to handle negativity online – both for themselves and as bystanders.

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Presentations

Henry’s research inspired the formation of the Don’t Click! Youth Group, which is using the survey results and other research to develop youth-led prevention projects. The group has created three presentations for junior high students to teach about online hate and extremism prevention, and to provide practical strategies for addressing these issues.

Supported by the Organization for the Prevention of Violence (OPV), REACH Edmonton, and other school leadership programs and city agencies, the ‘Don’t Click’ youth group has many more presentations planned. This is just the beginning.

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Each presentation addresses a different theme:
Four youth wearing masks stand in a group checking their phones as part of a Don't Click online hate and extremism prevention workshop
Digital Citizenship

Teaches about how youth can act ethically online and think critically about sources.

Developing Empathy

Addresses how empathy is related to online hate and teaches active listening skills to help students engage with others in a productive & supportive manner.

A facilitator wearing glasses, a mask, and jean jacket stands in front of a class next to a powerpoint displaying the REACH Edmonton logo as part of a Don't Click online hate and extremism prevention presentation
Peer Support

Suggests ways students can support friends who have encountered hateful content.

Interviews

During the development of their workshops, Don’t Click members connected with experts and community leaders to learn more about online hate and extremism prevention. These interviews explore the prevalence and cause of online hate and how to combat it. Importantly, they asked the experts about the role youth can play in creating safe spaces online and supporting victims of online hate.

Atif Hirjee

Student Leadership Department Head at W.P. Wagner High School

Clayton Ford

Edmonton Police Service Hate Crimes and Violent Extremism Unit 

Colin Powles

Student Leadership Department Head at J. Percy Page School

Jan Fox

Executive Director of REACH Edmonton

John McCoy

Executive Director of the Organization for the Prevention of Violence

Landon Turlock

Community Social Worker with the City of Edmonton

Collaborators

The Don’t Click! Youth Group is supported by The Resiliency Project, a collaboration between four partners: REACH Edmonton, City of Edmonton, the Edmonton Police Service, and the Organization for the Prevention of Violence. The project’s aim is to work with the public to prevent and counter hate-motivated violence through awareness, education, research, and online and offline intervention.

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