IT Acceptable Use Policy - Condensed

IT Acceptable Use Policy - Condensed

Last Updated (Tuesday, 30 November 1999 01:00) Written by Iain Monday, 21 April 2008 13:47

Malpas Young Persons Project is committed to following good practice in the use of electronic communications, particularly in connection with the Internet. This policy is based on guidelines produced for schools by The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta). The policy and the reputation of the Project depends on the following six elements:

•    Agreement on what constitutes “appropriate use” for each age group, decided amongst those volunteers who supervise the relevant sessions and endorsed by the Management Committee.
•     Where computers are being used, direct supervision of the area by a volunteer.
•    The identification and exclusion by specific blocking of any site likely to give offence.
•    Positive filtering by identifying a library of appropriate safe sites.
•    The use of software that records a screen image approximately every minute.
•    If feasible with software, the removal of advertising links from otherwise safe sites.

 Implementation

The senior leader at a session will oversee the operation of this Policy for the specific session. He/she will record any difficulties on the session evaluation sheet and draw them to the attention of the Management Committee member for IT.

Misbehaviour needs to be corrected rapidly and anyone deliberately attempting to find or use inappropriate sites will be issued with an immediate red card banning him/her from the area for a prescribed number of sessions (proportionate to the deed).

The view of Central Government is that the benefits of the internet to young people justify its use even allowing for the threats relating to their E-safety. However there will always be some residual risk, which we will seek to minimize so far as is reasonably practicable, by calling on external advisers to monitor our approach against current good practice.

Referrals

Anyone, parents, users or volunteers, with concerns relating to E-safety should raise them with the Management Committee Chairman in the first instance. Messages may be posted at the front door of the Centre or given by phone on 01948 860993.