How to participate
You will create your Podcast series, with short episodes, in the following subcategories of the „Technology” topic related to Internet Safety.
Topics
- Social Media
- Privacy violation, bullying, scams, contact with fake profiles, permanent retention of content and addiction.
- Cyberbullying
- Cyberbullying is the repeated sending of threatening or abusive messages, as well as the posting of photos or videos taken without the consent of the child being bullied.
- Surf ethically and critically
- Critical thinking is important in assessing the reliability of the information we encounter, as the Internet contains both reliable and unreliable sources. It is important to recognize and avoid phenomena such as „clickbait” (provocative headlines that mislead to gain clicks) and „fake news” (false news), as well as to manage our online reputation responsibly.
- Internet addiction
- Internet addiction in children and adolescents can cause isolation, decreased school performance, sleep disorders, and mental health problems.
- Protection from malware and malicious users
- The risks of weak passwords include data theft, fraud, brute force attacks, personal information leakage, and loss of access.
- Risks from malware and users include theft of personal data, infection of systems with viruses, phishing attacks, and file destruction or corruption by malware.
Details on how your Podcast is structured
Your series should have at least two episodes, of whatever length you want. However, make sure that all episodes are approximately the same length.
- Minimum number of episodes in the series: 2 episodes
- Minimum duration of each episode: 3 minutes
Suggestions for your content
- For the poster/banner
We may be doing a Podcast, but the image plays a very important role in communication and dissemination. The series poster should be simple, have characteristic objects (logo or icon), and keep a single line in each episode poster. The poster can be designed digitally, be one for the entire series, and in each episode, either the background color changes by simply adding “Episode 1:…” or it remains the same, and the episode title is entered. Here, you should take into account that each episode has its own poster, which appears to be a continuation of the central poster. The dimensions should be 1080X1080 px
- For the script
Plan what you want to present and how. Study the types of Podcasts below, which will help you set up your own series. Do you want them to be interviewed? Do you prefer them to be short stories taken from the imagination? Divide them directly into episodes according to the content each time, and use creative writing techniques to write the script. Always keep in mind that they must attract the listener’s interest to listen to your series because they can’t wait for the next episode.
- For the sound design of the spot and episodes
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- Choose a piece of music without words that represents the whole series and think about how it can be used as a sound signal. You may also need a sound effect that signals the start of the speech after the sound signal is heard.
- The spot features an excerpt from this piece, along with a brief announcement of the series. You can mention the name of your school and the name of the series, along with the phrase “as part of the radio campaign for Safer Internet Day 2025 on European School Radio”
- Part of this piece of music, along with the sound effect, will be used for a few seconds as an introduction and closing to each episode. Think of it as the characteristic sound of your series, and each episode should have a short introduction sound and an ending sound that reminds you that this is your series.
Communication strategy for your participation
Use your tools creatively – posters, radio spots, stories, reels, and posts – to communicate your work more widely within the educational and digital community.
We invite all schools to promote their episodes through:
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the Community/Activity section on the European School Radio platform,
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social media, using the tags:
@EuropeanSchoolRadio
@Interregional Thematic Network ‘Internet Safety.’
and the hashtags #SaferInternetDay2026 #Besafer@ESR2026
BE SafER @EuropeanSchoolRadio
You can make an announcement (create a blog post) to the Community, on Social Media as soon as you finish creating the Podcast, along with the poster, the spot, and the next time you upload an episode.
Deadlines
Submit participation form: By February 11, 2026, you must have created a Podcast on European School Radio, but only by completing the title, description, logo, or poster and a 30-second audio spot. Immediately after, register your participation here:
Episode posting: By March 31, 2026, you must have uploaded at least two episodes to your series.
Awards to be presented
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Best Sound Design (audio quality, creative use of music and effects)
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Best Presentation (narrative flow, delivery style)
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Best Content (quality of research, clarity of message, appeal of the topic)
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Best Approach (combination of topic and podcast format)
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Best Promotion (likes, poster, use of social media)
Support
eduthess@europeanschoolradio.eu, +30 2310 013 735
Appendix – Supporting material
Podcast Creation & Episode Posting Instructions
European School Radio Participation Guide
An educational Podcast Series
A Podcast for Podcasts: https://europeanschoolradio.eu/podcast/7702
Podcast types
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Interview
An interview podcast usually features one or two hosts speaking with one or more guests in each episode. Conducting interviews that draw out compelling stories and insights from the guests requires significant research and strong communication skills.
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Monologue (Solo Podcast with Commentary)
A single host speaks throughout the episode, often focusing on a specific topic, and providing in-depth analysis or personal opinions. Listeners tune in to learn about a particular subject or to hear well-informed perspectives on recent events.
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Panel – Discussion Show with Two or More Speakers
Two or more hosts discuss specific topics with humor and insightful commentary. Guests are often invited to enrich the discussion. When there are more than two participants, and the discussion follows a more structured format, it is often referred to as a „Roundtable” or „Panel” podcast.
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Investigative Podcasts (Nonfiction Narrative)
A narrative-style podcast where one or more hosts present an entire story or a chapter from an ongoing narrative. This type often includes journalistic investigation or narrating real events, such as true crime, historical cases, or scientific discoveries.
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Αudio drama (Fictional Storytelling)
One or more hosts narrate a story like an audiobook, while other participants often dramatize the narration. The use of sound effects and multidimensional audio creates a highly theatrical experience.
Within the framework of the cooperation between European School Radio and the Interregional Thematic Network ‘Internet Safety’ for the fourth consecutive year, and on the occasion of Safer Internet Day 2026, we announce the action BE SafeR@ EuropeanSchoolRadio, the creative awareness-raising campaign that was highly successful during the previous school year. Through this campaign, primary and secondary school students raise awareness among the public, listeners, and online followers about the risks of the Internet.
