Spot the tricky message
Use a fictional online message to identify pressure, secrecy or requests for personal details.
Watch: Online Safety & Social Media
A practical independent living skills lesson. Use the activities below to discuss and practise afterwards.
Read the video transcript
Being online is part of everyday life. Take a moment to check your privacy settings, think before sharing personal details, and learn how to block or report anything worrying.
Start here: three practical activities
These examples come from the Nexsteps Independent Living Skills Workbook. Choose an appropriate activity rather than treating this as a test.
- ACTIVITY 1Review privacy settings
Review privacy settings without recording passwords.
- ACTIVITY 2Check a claim with a reliable source
Check a harmless claim against a reliable source.
- ACTIVITY 3Find block and report tools
Locate blocking and reporting tools without false reports.
TRY SOMETHING INTERACTIVE
Make a choice. See what happens.
This is a fictional situation. Choose the response that feels most helpful and explore the feedback. It is not a test, and your choices are not recorded.
MORE WAYS TO LEARNEXTRA ACTIVITY 4 EXTRA ACTIVITY 5 EXTRA ACTIVITY 6
Three more real-life challenges
Choose the challenges that matter to you. Try them in a safe, supported way where needed. Ticking a box is only for your own use and is not stored.
Privacy settings walk-through
With support if needed, locate privacy controls without sharing passwords.
Pause before posting
Think through how a fictional photo or comment might affect privacy and feelings later.
For practitioners · optional demonstration
Talk through this activity with Dawn
Try an AI voice demonstration about this skill using made-up examples. This is a restricted adult or staff-supervised pilot, not an unsupervised service for young people. You do not need AI to complete the activities.
Learn about the Dawn AI pilot →Review and save my own goal in My Nexsteps →
The voice guide does not save or mark this activity as completed. Do not enter personal case details.
My progress, my choices
Choose an activity and work at your own pace. When you try it, tick the box and reflect on what went well. There is no test to pass, and using support is an achievement too.
This activity is private to this browser page. Your answers are not sent to Nexsteps or saved. Do not include private personal details.
Create a Life Map missionMake this part of your own journey
Choose an activity linked to a goal that matters to you. Try it with the support you prefer, reflect on what worked and add your achievement to your personal progress record.
Plan a goal and review progress → Explore My Life. My Future. My Way. →Who is this for?
Young people aged 16–18 preparing for adulthood, including young people looked after or in supported accommodation. Key workers, personal advisers and other trusted adults can support each activity. Some activities also suit care-experienced young adults.
Learn · Try · Practise · Evidence · Review · Progress
Agree the young person’s goal, the support and any safety arrangements. Use fictional examples for sensitive topics and follow safeguarding procedures. Record only necessary evidence; never put private disclosures or identifying details into public website forms.
Want the full workbook?
The complete Nexsteps workbook includes guided worksheets, fictional scenarios and progress reviews for practitioners and young people.
Enquire about the workbook