Power UP Developmental Evaluation: Final Report

This report outlines the development of Power UP, an e-safety program aimed at 15-17-year-olds, leveraging popular AFL and AFLW players to deliver key online safety messages. The program was co-designed through three stages: foundational, adaptation for remote communities, and feedback for ongoing development. Between August 2023 and May 2024, 201 participants—including 168 students and 26 teachers from 13 schools across Adelaide, Darwin, and Alice Springs, and 7 practitioners—contributed insights through 13 focus groups and four interviews.

The report addresses the central research question: What constitutes effective and appropriate content for the Power UP program, including its relevance for remote communities? The findings reveal that while all proposed topics were considered important. Key platforms identified by participants included TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. Privacy, consent, and digital footprints emerged as critical issues, emphasising the necessity for e-safety programs like Power UP to mitigate the negative impacts of harmful online content and interactions. Young people expressed a desire for these programs to incorporate strategies for preventing and managing harmful online interactions, as well as support for protecting their mental health.