National Cyber Awards, Digital Safety Education and Growing Our Voice
By the Guardian Compass Team
September marked significant step forward for Guardian Compass as we continued to build towards our vision of transforming how children, families and educators engage with digital safety.
Over the past month, we strengthened our position through national industry recognition, the launch of a major educational collaboration with the University of Gloucestershire, and wider public engagement through our first national podcast appearance. Together, these milestones reflect the growing momentum behind our mission to create innovative solutions that make digital safety more accessible, engaging and effective for the next generation.
Taking the conversation to a national audience
September also provided an opportunity to broaden the conversation around digital safety through our first national podcast appearance.
During the discussion, our co-founder, Aurorah Smith, explored what it means to grow up in a digital-first world and examined some of the challenges families face as technology continues to reshape childhood.
The conversation covered topics including online risks, the speed at which technology is evolving, the pressures many parents experience when trying to navigate an increasingly complex digital landscape, and the role education can play in building long-term digital confidence.
Importantly, the discussion highlighted a belief that sits at the heart of Guardian Compass: digital safety cannot be addressed through awareness alone. Meaningful progress requires new thinking, new tools and new approaches that equip young people to navigate the digital world with confidence and resilience.
If you’d like to hear the conversation, you can watch the podcast on YouTube.
Celebrating at the National Cyber Awards
Having been named a finalist for start up of the year at the National Cyber Awards in August, September saw us attend the awards ceremony at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.
While we did not take home the award, being recognised alongside some of the UK's leading cybersecurity organisations and professionals was an important milestone for Guardian Compass. It reinforced the growing recognition that digital safety requires new approaches that extend beyond traditional cybersecurity awareness and place greater focus on the real experiences of children, families and educators.
The event also provided another valuable opportunities to connect with leaders from across the cybersecurity community, exchange ideas and explore how innovation, education and collaboration can help address some of the most pressing digital challenges facing society today.
As Guardian Compass continues to evolve, recognition from across the industry provides further encouragement that the challenges we are seeking to address are both timely and significant.
Supporting Digital Safety Through Education
September also marked the beginning of an exciting collaboration with the University of Gloucestershire, a project that has been many months in development.
The partnership brings together academic expertise, student creativity and practical digital safety challenges to explore new ways of engaging young people with online safety education.
For Guardian Compass, this collaboration represents more than a traditional educational partnership. It forms part of our broader commitment to developing innovative approaches that make digital safety more relevant, accessible and engaging for future generations.
As technology becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life, society needs new ways to help children understand risk, build resilience and develop positive digital behaviours. By working alongside students and academics, we are able to bring fresh perspectives into that challenge while helping to shape content and experiences that reflect the realities young people face online today.
We’re excited to see how the project develops and to share more about the work in the months ahead.
Looking Ahead to October
September's milestones demonstrate the growing momentum behind Guardian Compass and the wider movement towards a new approach to digital safety.
Whether through industry recognition, educational partnerships or national conversations, each step contributes to our broader mission of developing solutions that help reshape how digital safety is understood, taught and experienced.
As we move into October, we will continue progressing the next phase of Guardian Compass and look forward to sharing more about the products, partnerships and initiatives that are helping us build a safer and more positive digital future for the next generation.