New online tool introduced to prevent bullying of Indigenous youth
Bullying and teasing are not an uncommon story in Indigenous communities and can sadly result in serious consequences.
Suicide among Indigenous youth is now considered to be at crisis point with eight children taking their own lives this summer.
Now a new online education tool introduced in Darwin last Friday is helping Indigenous youth combat bullying which in turn will hopefully reduce numbers of suicide too.
Digital Trakz uses interactive cartoon graphics to present real-life scenarios of bullying and teasing that happens in the Indigenous communities and asks youth what they what do in particular situations.
It is like a choose your own story that gives Indigenous youth either a positive or negative outcome and gives examples of how they can best protect themselves and friends from teasing.
Two digital Trakz stories (Priscilla’s story and Tom’s story) are available in animated audio versions via the App Stores (iTunes and Google) under the title of Trakz. The digital Trakz
stories are also available nationally on the Hitnet Community Hubs and via the Hitnet website https://www.hitnet.com.au/kiosk/.
The interactive tool is also available as a mobile phone app called the Digital Trakz App.