Much-loved mascot Healthy Harold on a mission to help Tamworth students thrive post-COVID

Much-loved giraffe mascot Healthy Harold paid a visit to local schools, but instead of the usual Life Education van, the lessons ventured into the classroom with a focus on cyber safety.

Specialist educators delivered Healthy Harold lessons directly to classrooms at Calrossy Anglican School and Tamworth South Public School, with a bunch of other schools on the itinerary.

Life Ed NSW/ACT chief executive Jonathon Peatfield said Healthy Harold has been on a mission to help Tamworth children tackle the complex challenges they face today.

"Our new program, 'bCyberwise', arms children aged eight to 10 with the tools to recognise, react and report online predatory behaviour and inappropriate content," he said.

One in five young people in Australia reported being threatened or abused online while one in four have been contacted online by strangers, according to research from the Office of the e-Safety Commissioner.

"It's important we support teachers and schools with contemporary and difficult issues, including consent, coercive behaviour and predatory behaviour," Mr Peatfield said.

"Throughout COVID, kids have been spending more time online, putting them at more risk of online harms."

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Life Ed has also expanded its program 'Relate Respect Connect' with new lessons that equip students with strategies to help maintain positive online and offline relationships, and learn how to recognise and report unwanted contact, bullying or predatory behaviours.

Mr Peatfield said students can expect the visits to look a little different, with the safety of schools and staff the first priority.

"It will still be a little while until the wheels move on the Life Ed mobile learning centre," he said.

"In line with infection control procedures and social distancing measures, for the time being, students will experience the program via direct delivery in classrooms or school halls.

"However, I can confirm that the star of the show, Healthy Harold will most certainly be in attendance."

This week Life Ed Educator Ruth Van De Wegen and Healthy Harold visited students at Tamworth South Public School to deliver the new and updated Life Ed program.

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