Cyberbullying is a significant social, health and behavioural concern throughout the EU and worldwide, yet crucial areas in its prevention and intervention have largely been side-lined, namely the key role of parents, as well as the role of gender, disability, ethnicity and sexuality.
The PARTICIPATE Doctoral Network project is addressing this research and action gap, by delivering a world-class multi-sectoral, multidisciplinary doctoral training program incorporating plans for substantial networking and exchange of information, expertise and action potential regarding the nature and extent of cyberbullying across Europe.
By focusing on parents, as well as on gender, disability, ethnicity and sexuality, the project aims to empower both parents and young people, creating a safer space online for our youth, while placing Europe firmly at the forefront of cyberbullying research and practice.
This Doctoral Network brings together many of the foremost world leaders and cutting-edge researchers in the areas of cyberbullying prevention, and is grounded in scientific excellence provided by six academic partners in conjunction with a strong and diverse range of 8 non-academic partners, including independent research organisations, NGOs, youth foundations and internet safety organisations.
The objectives will be achieved during the lifetime of the project through a unique combination of individual and collaborative research work, non-academic secondments and workshops on scientific and applied skills facilitated by the academic/non-academic composition of the consortium. The findings generated – and made available on this website as they become available – https://msca-participate.eu/ – will produce both practical, research-based programs, and European guidelines on cyberbullying in relation to gender, disability, ethnicity and sexuality, and the roles parents play in prevention.
PARTICIPATE brings together Europe’s top experts in anti-cyberbullying to build a research and training network that will:
- Train 10 world-class Doctoral Candidates with transferable multi-disciplinary and intersectoral skills necessary to work with parents, youth, teachers and other professionals to more effectively prevent and reduce cyberbullying across Europe
- Introduce a vital new dimension into cyberbullying research by investigating the largest group of parents ever studied
- Harness the knowledge and perspectives being developed in different countries, academic disciplines, youth organisations and technology companies, uniting them in a powerful, strategic collaboration in the fight against cyberbullying in Europe
- Develop sufficient expertise on parents to create a state-of-the-art toolkit for teachers and other professionals working with parents to prevent cyberbullying
These objectives will be achieved by a combination of individual and collaborative research work, non- academic secondments and workshops on scientific and complementary applied skills facilitated by the academic and non-academic composition of the consortium. The 10 Doctoral Candidates are not only undertaking research on the most urgent questions in the field of cyberbullying, but are also working on the ground with practical organisations, and developing inter-disciplinary research designs through secondments in other European countries.
First publications are expected during 2024.
