Stellar Omada has partnered with Heart of Midlothian Innovation Centre to launch a Cyber Security Escape Room initiative for Edinburgh schools.

The educational programme, which follows a successful pilot, is aimed at raising awareness around online safety, with over two hundred pupils expected to participate from secondary schools across Edinburgh in sessions between 9th-11th December. 

The initiative was created by Stellar Omada’s Elevate division, and will see small groups of pupils work together to tackle simulated cybersecurity scenarios with expert guidance from the Stellar Omada and Innovation Centre teams. 

Stellar Omada’s founder and managing director, Colin Frame, said: “Like many people, I am continually alarmed at the spread of cyber crime and its impact not only on the business world, but also how it impacts society and young people in particular.  

“We hope this initiative with Hearts can provide a blueprint for further activity in this important area.”

Stellar Omada is a longstanding partner of Hearts and the club’s Innovation Centre, which provides free digital education to young people, becoming Hearts’ front of shirt sponsor earlier this year. 

“We are acutely aware of the increasing dangers faced online by young people and welcome this forward-thinking initiative,” said Ann Park, director of community and partnership at Hearts.

“Stellar Omada’s Escape Room concept is a highly engaging way that will help learners gain a deeper awareness of the threats posted by cyber-crime, cat fishing, and grooming, and equip them with vital skills to keep them safe online.

“The Innovation Centre works with over 2,000 young people every year from a broad range of socio-economic, ethnic, and educational backgrounds.  We deliver free courses across a range of STEM and STEAM disciplines including coding, app development, and robotics.”

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According to the World Economic Forum Risk Report 2024, cybersecurity is ranked highly alongside the climate crisis as a systematic risk worldwide, with statistics showing fast-increasing levels of victimisation in social media account compromise, phishing, identity theft, and cyberbullying. 

Last month, gaming platform Roblox restricted its youngest users from more violent, crude, and scary content, in the face of warnings about child grooming, exploitation, and the sharing of indecent images.

Figures recently analysed by the NSPCC show that online grooming has reached record levels in the UK, with this year witnessing the highest number of Sexual Communication of Child offences, and social media platforms making up the vast majority of online grooming offences recorded by police.