A new initiative called ‘Plan Contigo’ (The Together Plan) aimed at giving advice to teenagers has been announced by the Spanish government. The plan consists of the police and civil guard offering advice using the popular internet social network Tuenti. Using the Tuenti they will give advice on a wide range of topics affecting young people including protecting your personal details, the risks of using the Internet, bullying, gender violence, gangs and drug prevention. The plan forms part of a number of initiatives launched by the government in 2007 aimed at ‘improving coexistence at school’.
According to the Rubalcaba, the Minister for the Home Office there was a 5% fall in offences committed at school last academic year as a direct result of government initiatives.
The internet page for adolescents seeking advice from specialized agents using Tuenti is plancontigo@mir.es. The page, based on an idea by the regional government of Aragon, is being launched today and includes advice on the real identity of people contacted using the Internet and protecting your privacy, making sure your personal profiles are safe as well as the safety of using passwords, signs of abusive relationships and the difference between tobacco and cannabis.
Rubalcaba said that the idea behind the plan was to increase the security of young people with the objective of increasing their liberty and teaching them how to coexist with respect. He also stressed that it was in no way aimed at infringing on people’s privacy.
Since January 2006 489 people have been arrested for dealing drugs at school and 398 points of sale of drugs near to schools have been dismantled. This year alone the police have seized 2.3 kilos of hashish, 136 grams of cocaine, 33 grams of heroine, 848 grams of marihuana, 5 units of ecstasy 319 units of psychoactive drugs.
This year the centres given an award for ‘Education and Safety in the School Environment’ were the Bolivia College in Madrid, El Coto de El Casar College in Guadalajara, the Rusadir institute in Melilla and the Miguel Hernández institute in Alicante.
