Empowering Digital Safety: CyberSafe Scotland
We spoke with Annabel Turner after the visit to their offices by the Cabinet Secretary Neil Gray earlier this year, about how Firstport has helped to support her innovative social enterprise CyberSafe Scotland.
From the courtroom to the digital realm, Annabel Turner’s career transformation exemplifies the power of purpose-driven entrepreneurship. After a decade as a barrister, Annabel’s involvement with the International Justice Mission’s “Not on My Screen” campaign against Cybersex Trafficking ignited a passion for protecting children in the digital age.
This pivotal experience led Annabel to found Cybersafe Scotland in 2018, channelling her legal expertise into a mission-driven social enterprise focused on children’s digital rights, online safety, and combating online harms. Now a respected speaker, trainer, and resource developer, Annabel’s work spans from local initiatives to international advisory roles.
This case study showcases the transformative partnership between Firstport and Cybersafe Scotland. We’ll explore how Firstport’s tailored business support aligns with its mission to make social enterprise achievable, accessible and aspirational and how this has empowered Annabel’s vision of a safer digital environment for children worldwide.
What does your social enterprise focus on?
Our organisation, CyberSafe Scotland, is a social enterprise on a mission to shield children, both locally and globally, from online abuse and exploitation. The disturbing increase in online child abuse, especially for vulnerable youth, compels our work. In Scotland alone, reports of online offences against children skyrocketed by 511% between 2015 and 2021. One of our projects with Scottish Government, Delivering Equally Safe, involves advising product providers to ensure their products are safe and that children’s and young people’s experiences are heard, understood, and used to drive progress.
How does your social enterprise work to achieve its mission?
We prioritise listening to children and young people, ensuring their experiences guide our progress in online safety. Collaborations with organisations like Aberdeen Council and the Scottish Government empower us to leverage data and expertise for innovative solutions. Our flagship program, “Respected and Safe Online”, tackles the digital skills gap by providing training and support for schools and parents. Furthermore, we offer consultancy services to local authorities, equipping them with the tools to enhance cyber safety outcomes for children across Scotland. By addressing the needs of both children and the institutions responsible for their well-being, we strive to create a safer online environment for all.
When did you access business support from us and how did start-up support help you in your journey to becoming a social enterprise?
I established CyberSafe Scotland in 2021 with the help of a Start It award from Firstport and our Relationship Manager, Ray Banks, who gave us so much support. The funding allowed us to set up the company legally as a social enterprise so that we could begin trading. It also helped us to complete our website and produce marketing materials and resources, which we continue to use to advertise our services.
All income from our products and services is reinvested directly into providing further support for schools and families who cannot afford help.
I recently also received one-to-one dedicated support from a Firstport Business Advisor through the Just Enterprise start-up service. This personalised guidance helped us pinpoint key areas and structures for growth, particularly in board development, financial modelling, and crafting a robust strategy for scaling our organisation.
Do you have any advice for other budding social entrepreneurs considering applying to Firstport?
We are hugely grateful for the support we have received from Firstport. With their help, you can get your social enterprise off the ground, and start to see your social enterprise make a real difference to society.
What’s next on the horizon for CyberSafe Scotland?
At Cybersafe Scotland, we are excited to grow the Respected and Safe Programme to support other local authorities, education departments, and multi-agency partnerships in ensuring all children are protected online.
Our commitment to children’s online safety remains unwavering. We will continue to advocate for digital protection by delivering targeted training and speaking at key events to raise awareness. Collaborating directly with young people, we’ll co-design resources that reflect their experiences and needs. We’re also partnering with companies to deepen their understanding of children’s digital rights and experiences.
Crucially, we’re intensifying our efforts to combat the online sexual exploitation of children, both in Scotland and internationally. These initiatives are fundamental to our core purpose of creating a safer digital world for young people, and we believe that by combining education, collaboration, and advocacy, we can make a significant impact in safeguarding children’s online experiences.
The next step
Find out more about CyberSafe on their website and by following them on Facebook, LinkedIn and X (Twitter)
Please visit our website’s start-up page to learn more about how Just Enterprise can support your social enterprise journey.