Get to know Eurochild’s NOVA Council

This month, Eurochild’s NOVA Council - Network of Online Visionaries in Action - gathered in Brussels for an exciting first in-person meeting. Aiming to make the digital world safe and fun for children, the newly created children’s group discussed risks, shared experiences, and developed powerful messages for policymakers.

As the online world evolves and new opportunities and risks emerge, the EU must ensure digital policy reflects and responds to the lived experiences and needs of children. Eurochild's NOVA Council was established in April 2025 to make this possible. It brings together eight children, aged 12 to 17, from six European countries: Denis from Bulgaria, Mihael from Croatia, Lili from Hungary, Ruth and Tom from Ireland, Jake and Elena from Malta, and Maya from Romania.

Throughout a two-year mandate, the NOVA Council aims to bring the insights of children directly into the law- and policy-making processes related to children’s safety online. Their work includes making recommendations to policymakers, attending public events, and meeting with representatives of EU institutions. 

Their first in-person meeting in Brussels this month marked an important step in the NOVA Council’s journey. Through games and group work, children shared their views and discussed the risks they face on online platforms. One key debate focused on age verification and the possibility of imposing age restrictions for children to access social media. NOVA members also agreed on the prevalence of manipulation and addictive design features. As one member put it, “Social media shows you what they want you to see, not what you are interested in seeing.”.

A key moment of the weekend was the creation of powerful advocacy messages for policy-makers on how to make the online world safe for children, focusing on issues they care about -from combating cyberbullying and child sexual abuse to age verification. As one child highlighted, “Child safety should not depend on luck; it should depend on laws and safety measures”. These recommendations were featured in an impactful video showcased at an ECLAG policy event, where policymakers and representatives of tech industries convened to discuss child sexual abuse and child safety online.  

Eurochild aims to create spaces of direct dialogue between policy-makers and children. This time, the NOVA Council met Donatella Nembrini, representing the European Commission’s DG CNECT. In a meaningful and productive exchange, the children shared their experiences and concerns, while the EU representative listened and explained the actions taken to tackle these issues.

While centred on children’s rights in the digital environment, the weekend was also an opportunity to build trust, friendship, and a warm atmosphere among the children. As one of them shared: “Everything went amazing! The group was very friendly and the dynamic of the group was great as well. I enjoyed seeing and being part of the conversations”.

Following this first in-person meeting, the NOVA Council will continue to build their expertise and contribute to discussions on children’s safety online. Stay tuned for more updates on their activities and insights!

More information: 

• Have a look at the photos 
• Watch their messages to policy-makers
• Contact Laure Pailleau, Child Participation and Policy Officer