VirtueNet aims to be a part your local community – our vision is not only to be a leading technology solutions provider, but also to play integral role in educating parents, teachers, employers, teenagers and children on the importance of protecting themselves and others from exposure to harmful web content that remains so freely available and easily accessible. For this reason, VirtueNet has carefully selected various like-minded organizations who are as dedicated as we are to the well-being of families and communities around the world.
Listed below are some of our key partners who share in our vision and who are actively recommending and endorsing VirtueNet -
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Watchdog, a global specialist in Internet filtering, was originally founded in New Zealand in 1999. As the provision of web content filtering services was unavailable in NZ, Watchdog built a business providing Internet filtering and connectivity services to residential, business and education customers. The Ministry of Education (NZ) has since awarded Watchdog contracts to provide web and email filtering as well as hardware firewall services to more than 1800 state and integrated schools. Watchdog International also offers services internationally, which include filtering technologies to achieve two types of filtering; ‘general’ filtering of inappropriate material and filtering of ‘illegal material’ i.e. child sexual abuse imagery (CSAI). Peter Mancer, founder and Managing Director of Watchdog, has worked closely with government organisations, law enforcement, not-for-profit groups (i.e. IWF, ECPAT), the Film & Publications Board (FPB) (South Africa), as well as various technology providers and Internet Service Providers in many countries around the world. More recently Watchdog has also been appointed as Google's preferred partner and reseller for the NZ education sector based on Google's impressive and growing array of online applications (such as Google Docs, Gmail, Google Video and a suite of filtering solutions). For this reason VirtueNet has chosen to partner with Watchdog to deliver best-of-breed online safety solutions to the local education sector drawing on the vast experience and wealth of expertise that make Watchdog one of the global leaders in online safety for schools.
For more info visit http://www.watchdog.net.nz/ |
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Focus on the Family Africa is a non-profit organization founded by renowned psychologist and author Dr. James Dobson, and was established to effectively minister to the core needs of families. Their daily programs are broadcast on over 50 radio stations as well as television stations throughout the continent, with a wide range of family oriented Christian literature and audio visual material available online and in bookstores. Their outreach programs are presented by trained facilitators and offer a variety of biblically-based solutions to current world problems including HIV/AIDS and Drugs, as well as, guidance for married couples and parents. Their family response team are well equipped to counsel and direct families-in-need to relevant professional services providers.
For more info visit http://www.safamily.co.za |
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SchoolNet SA is at the forefront of ICT implementation strategies in South African schools. They have developed a successful implementation strategy as a result of their experience and analysis of a wide range of past ICT implementation projects. SchoolNet has successfully developed their earlier Educators’ Network course materials into a comprehensive range of modules that are used by a number of South African universities as part of their teacher qualifications. Further development of these modules has been undertaken by the Commonwealth of Learning who now contract SchoolNet to train tutors in a number universities around the world to deliver the Commonwealth Certificate in Teacher ICT Integration.
SchoolNet SA is currently South Africa's leading innovator in professional development programmes in ICT integration and school ICT leadership, being the national agency for two multi-national teacher development programmes, Intel* Teach and Microsoft* Partners in Learning. By virtue of their experience and successes to date SchoolNet SA has developed unique competencies which will continue to serve as the driving force behind effective ICT implementation in the future. These include Project Management & Consultation, Technical Service & Support, Research & Knowledge Management, and Educator Development in ICT Integration. SchoolNet SA's purpose is to act as a catalyst and an enabler of change for the education system in order to contribute to effective educational outcomes and diversity in the South African learning environment.
For more info visit http://www.schoolnet.co.za |
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S.T.O.P. (Standing Together to Oppose Pornography) is an organization run by volunteers and formed in 1996 when the Film and Publications Act, which legalized pornography for the first time in South Africa, was enacted. Its focus is wider than simply opposing adult pornography as can be seen from the mission statement: To promote a society in which children are nurtured in an environment of sound family values and in which women and children, in particular, are protected from sexual crime, sexual exploitation, abuse and violence in accordance with their constitutional rights. In addition to the general public, particularly parents, S.T.O.P. has gained support from schools, churches of various denominations and faiths and like-minded NGO’s and organizations. It lobbies and endeavours to assist National and local government in the formulation of appropriate legislation to reduce the availability of sexually explicit material and to effectively control it. Through talks and the media it raises public awareness of the dangers and harmful effects of adult porn in particular as well as child porn, acting as a ‘watchdog’ and equipping the public to make their voices heard. S.T.O.P also facilitates the establishment of support groups for the increasing number of addicts and victims of porn addiction.
For more info visit http://www.stop.org |
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