National PTA Announces Alliance with Discord in Support of Teen Digital Safety and Well-being

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Jan. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- National PTA is pleased to announce an expansion of its PTA Connected initiative through a new alliance with Discord, an online voice, video and text communication service on a mission to create a space for everyone to find belonging. Discord will collaborate with National PTA on digital safety resources and events designed to elevate youth voices and foster shared understanding among teens, caregivers and educators.

As part of the alliance, National PTA and Discord will co-host a live digital safety session Wednesday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. EST during PTA's weeklong commemoration of Safer Internet Day. The session will be led by Discord's Teen Moderators, a group of teens empowered to help Discord create spaces where people feel safe and find belonging. The event will be hosted on National PTA's new Discord server and is open to all parents, caregivers, educators and teens. Pre-registration for this free event is located here.

"We recognize that the digital landscape continues to shift and evolve, and the continuing COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the joys and challenges of an increasingly digital life," said National PTA President Anna King. "We want to keep our teens safe online, while they simply crave connection and spaces for personal expression. PTA's collaboration with Discord reflects our belief that we need to meet teens where they are—in virtual spaces like Discord—while addressing the need for digital safety education."

This spring, Discord and National PTA will facilitate a series of listening sessions with teens and caregivers to explore current attitudes, perceptions and behaviors around digital safety and well-being. Discord has pledged to act on the insights gained from these sessions to help create a healthier digital ecosystem, and PTA will leverage the insights to develop new, timely educational programming aimed at families with children in high school.

"Discord is a place where teens can find belonging and community and connect over shared interests and passions with friends and classmates. Through our collaboration with National PTA, we hope to foster an interactive dialogue between parents, educators, and teens about the role that Discord plays in their lives and collaborate with them to create an even more welcoming and positive experience for teens on the service," said Savannah Badalich, Director of Policy at Discord.

Discord's two-year commitment to National PTA includes grant funding for high school PTAs/PTSAs across the country to help eliminate barriers in providing digital safety and well-being education for local families (in-person or virtual, as health and safety protocols allow).

About National PTA
National PTA® is comprised of millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health, and welfare of children and youth. For more information, visit PTA.org.

National PTA does not endorse any commercial entity, product or service. No endorsement of Discord is implied.

SOURCE National PTA