Finigan School of Distance Education

The eSafety Commissioner has some free webinars coming up to give parents and carers the knowledge, skills and tools to support their children to have safe online experiences.

Some of the topics include:

Understanding & using parental controls to help protect your child online

Parental controls can be a useful addition to the strategies you use to help protect your child online. Parental controls can help keep children and young people by preventing access to harmful content, managing time spent online and who they communicate with.

Term 2 (Australian Eastern Standard Time):

• 14 May, 12.30pm
• 3 June, 3.30pm

Sexual extortion: What parents & carers need to know

Sexual extortion or ‘sextortion’ is a form of blackmail where someone threatens to share a nude or sexual image or video of a person unless their demands are met.

Sexual extortion is a serious, growing online concern, especially for young people. But what exactly is it? What conversations may help prevent it and how can you support your child if they’re targeted?

Term 2 (Australian Eastern Standard Time):

• 28 May, 12.30pm
• 18 June, 12.30pm

Inspired by Gough Whitlam's commitment to involving young people in shaping Australia's future, the What Matters? Writing Competition is now in its 21st year and seeks to hear from children on what they care about the most: from climate change to mental health to video games and relationships with friends and families.

Whatever the issue is, the Whitlam Institute is inviting young people in Years 5–12 to express themselves through their writing and to share their ideas and thoughts in 600 words or less.

What you need to know:

• Competition is now open until May 16, 2025
• Entries can be in the form of prose, non-fiction, poetry, or essay
• Free to enter here for years 5-12, at home or school
• There are great prizes including a $1500 cash prize, book packs from Allen and Unwin, and money-can’t-buy experiences, like shadowing journalists at Parliament House, or hosting a virtual author visit at your school.

If this sounds like something you’re interested in, you’re welcome to enter by following this link and submitting your responses by May 16th, 2025: https://www.whitlam.org/what-matters

The PRC has been extended for both the student and coordinator deadlines for public and non-government students to allow additional time for challenge completion.

2025 Challenge Dates

·         Challenge closes to students: Extended to Friday 19 September 2025 (Week 9, Term 3)

·        
Challenge closes to coordinators: Extended to Friday 26 September 2025 (Week 10, Term 3)