Students taking on cyber-bullies

The volunteers aim to help vulnerable and marginalised children

Students at a Devon university are to be recruited as mentors for young computer users in an effort to stop cyber-bullying.

The University of Plymouth Students' Union plans to train 150 local volunteer CyberMentors with help from the charity Beatbullying.

The charity said mentors would help people safeguard themselves and train them to become mentors too.

It said they would help computer users throughout the south west of England.

The Students' Union said it was keen to support young people with any online issues they faced.

Anyone who has a problem and wants to talk about it can contact a CyberMentor by leaving them a message. They can also ask to chat to them online.

'Really excited'

Beatbullying's Volunteers Manager, Pete Jones, said: "They will be helping to keep safe some of the most vulnerable and marginalised children and young people affected by bullying and discrimination."

Lynsey Williams from the Students' Union said: "Beatbullyings' CyberMentors programme is so different from anything we have done before.

"So we are really excited by the opportunity to work with and support young people with the issues they face and provide a forum where they can talk."

Volunteers have to be aged between 18 and 25, have regular internet access and be able to use social networking sites.

They also only have to spend two hours a week volunteering, Beatbullying said.