Our Web Guardians™ programme for 2017 has finished! JAN Trust would like to share with you the successes of the 2017 programme and tell you why this vital programme needs to continue. The waiting list for the 2018 programme is ever growing! Web Guardians™, largely targeted at Muslim mothers, aims to provide participants with digital literacy skills and the education, skills and confidence to prevent and tackle online extremism.

Many of the women who took part previously had no or lack of internet skills and had no knowledge of the dangers of the internet, despite having young children. After the programme they have promised to utilise the knowledge they have learnt to protect their children from the dangers of the internet. Before the programme some of the women we taught could barely type; let alone complete more complex tasks. With the Web Guardians™ programme we have made these women digitally literate and aware of online extremism along with how they can protect their loved ones. Before the programme began, mothers had no idea of what lurked on the internet nor did they know how the internet can affect their children, this comes as no surprise to us! Since we have been delivering the programme for the last 8 years across the UK, we have noticed the disconnect between parent and child. Empowering these women which ultimately improves their relationship with their children is priceless, and we have witnessed this first hand.

On Thursday the 21^st of December 2017, we held a certificate ceremony for women who took part on the programme. JAN Trust awarded the women tablets and certificates for their successful completion of the intensive 6 week Web Guardians™ course. The ceremony took place at our centre in Wood Green.

JAN Trust is incredibly proud of the achievements and progress the women have made over the course of the programme and hope that they will impart their knowledge into their communities and continue to learn. It has been a real pleasure watching the women grow in both confidence and skills. In addition we have received excellent feedback from the women:

“It is an eye opener“

“I like my course. I enjoy my course because I learn so many things.“

“The internet is dangerous you have to be aware.“

“I know how the internet can brainwash our children and the dangers. I will tell women and advise them to come.“

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart“

Above is Catherine West, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, presenting certificates to the women. She spoke highly of our programme:

“The graduates of this vital programme work tirelessly day-in-day-out to help our communities. I want to thank them for their efforts in completing this intensive six-week course that will bring tangible benefits to people’s lives and the JAN Trust for all of its consistent hard work.“

David Lammy, MP for Tottenham was unable to attend the ceremony but commended the work that we do said:

“I would like to congratulate JAN Trust on the important work that they are doing in Tottenham. As the rising tide of extremism and hatred becomes more and more real in our communities, I applaud the work that JAN Trust is doing, particularly in its efforts to tackle Islamophobia.

I would like to offer my warmest congratulations to the graduates of the Web Guardians™ programme, who are working to protect their community from unknowable dangers. I am so sorry not to be there to acknowledge the work that you have done personally, but would like to pass on my appreciation and thanks on behalf of all my constituents for the efforts you have put in to support the community of Haringey.“

CEO of Haringey Council Zina Etheridge and Councillor Eugene Ayisi also presented certificates to the users, marking a great occasion to celebrate the women’s achievements for partaking in the course. Some users even stated that they would come back and do the course again, because there is so much information to learn!

Here are some images from the programme and certificate ceremony:

We hope to be able to expand our programme this year as we are aware that there is a need. We want to continue to educate and empower women across the UK with our Web Guardians™ programme as it continues to grow! If you want to find out more about our programme, you can watch a testimonial from a satisfied participant here and visit our website at www.webguardians.org.