The coronavirus pandemic is all over the news. What is it? How did it happen? How can we stop it? However, there are very few resources that explain the current situation to children; in line with their needs, their development and their level of knowledge. Children generally learn about COVID-19 via popular media and mouth-to-mouth through other people. This can create superficial knowledge, uncertainty and fears.
Making information available
The interactive platform “Explain Corona4Kids” that has emerged from the German “#WirVsVirus hackathon” on a voluntary basis, aims to support children during the crisis and to strengthen the self-efficacy of families. The goal is to make information from reputable sources available to many nations in a language suitable for children and their parents. That is why the website www.corona4kids.de offers child-friendly and interesting information for children aged 6-12 years on the subject of the coronavirus – and is characterized by a particularly creative and individual concept.
Team Lead Lara Surrey explains that the idea „came to me one morning while sitting on the couch with my coffee and asking myself: What actually gives children strength in these uncertain times? How can we help children to cope better with all this new information and changes in our society around Corona?“
The aim of this inclusive project is to educate as many children as possible in their language and according to their level of knowledge. That is why the platform has not only been translated into 16 languages but also includes a “simple language” version for children with intellectual disabilities or beginners.
A hackathon-bread platform
The German the pitch video from the 2020 “#WirVsVirus hackathon” illustrates not only what suitable and inclusive communication can look like but also how a voluntary team of four people was able to create a digital solution in the remarkable timeframe of 48 hours.
#WirVsVirus Pitch Video
Today “Explain Corona4Kids” is part of the #WirVsVirus Solution Enabler programme of the social acceleration platform Project Together.
About the “#WirVsVirus Solution Enabler” programme
The “#WirVsVirus Solution Enabler” is a six-months implementation programme for 130 selected innovative solutions developed for coronavirus-related challenges. The programme that is supported by the Vodafone Institute with startup funding, know-how and digital expertise, encourages projects from 12 action fields, such as health, everyday life and crisis management, to successfully implement their solutions on a broad scale. The Institute supports the project teams with individually tailored support by providing access to the Vodafone corporate network. Particularly the startup programme Vodafone UPLIFT with their PACESETTER offering supports the teams in the areas of IT infrastructure, public cloud, IoT solutions and individual consulting. The programme under the patronage of the Federal Chancellery has started working with the projects on April 8 of 2020. Find further information here.