Digital for Youth and ChatLicense are launching a partnership today to not only provide children and young people in Belgium with laptops but also teach them to navigate the accompanying online world more wisely and safely. While Digital for Youth ensures access to laptops and digital skills, ChatLicense helps users engage with technology smartly and consciously from the very start.
The organizations are united by a shared mission: making the digital world accessible to every child. By providing access to laptops, Digital for Youth helps bridge the digital divide, giving retired corporate laptops a second life in the hands of young people. ChatLicense teaches children the digital skills needed to use that technology smartly and consciously. At the same time, the “digital driver’s license” helps parents guide their children effectively during this stage. Thanks to this partnership, children receiving a laptop through Digital for Youth will now also have access to ChatLicense.
Navigating the digital highway together
“At Digital for Youth, we have been providing children and young people with laptops for years, but we recognize the importance of teaching them to use them safely and consciously. ChatLicense allows parents to track their child’s progress and receive handy tips on relevant topics—all explained in clear, accessible language—covering everything down to the level of specific apps like WhatsApp. For the children themselves, the modules offer great variety, featuring animations and videos that build logically upon one another. In this way, we provide them not just with a laptop, but also with the skills to venture into the digital world independently and safely,” says Hans De Backer, General Manager at Digital for Youth.
“In addition to smartphones and tablets, children are also venturing into the online world independently using laptops. From searching for information to sending emails and clicking on links, someone needs to explain how to do this safely and smartly. Thanks to the important work of Digital for Youth, we can now do this for all children in Belgium who receive a laptop through the organization. In doing so, we support not only the child but also the connection between parent and child, ensuring they continue to understand one another as various apps, influences, and algorithms enter the picture,” adds Marjolein van Tilburg, founder of ChatLicense.
