Trust is the confidence that a person or group of people has in the reliability of another person or group. It is the degree to which one feels they can depend on the other party to do what they say they will do. Trust is a belief in a probability that a person will behave in certain ways. The predictability of an action or behaviour builds a feeling of confidence and security. People who trust are happier, relaxed and more functional. Trust has many benefits including increased optimism, higher levels of self-confidence, lower stress levels, peace of mind and more meaningful social connections. It is essential that in our contemporary world that dimensions of trust and social media are also investigated. Building trust is a process and heavily influenced by individuals’ experiences. The activities sourced and designed provide opportunities for children and students to feel and experience trust building strategies that support judgement making and confidence. Education environments can be safe places where the complexity of trust can be examined.

To empower students and assist them to build protection strategies they can establish a trust network. A trust network is a group of people who they can turn to when feeling unsafe, for support, advice and protection. To trust someone, you must be able to rely upon that person and, at the same time, feel both physically and emotionally safe.

The aim of this activity is for students to consider who they have safe trusting relationships with and would include in their trust network.