HackShield in Noord-Holland

In the province of North Holland, one in seven residents fell victim to some form of cybercrime in 2019. The regional partnership North Holland Together Safe (Noord-Holland Samen Veilig – NHSV) therefore designated cybercrime as a prioritized theme. One of the initiatives supporting this prioritization is “HackShield in North Holland municipalities.” HackShield is a cybersecurity game for children aged 8 to 12, that aims to build a cyber-safe generation. Through the collaboration between HackShield and municipalities, mayors and police officers encourage children to play the game and become “cyber agents” for their municipality. Top-scoring players are officially honored by the municipalities.

Objective

The aim of this research was to evaluate the initiative HackShield in North Holland municipalities through a concise evaluation of its plan and process. The policy theory, implementation, and insights from the project were mapped based on 30 interviews with developers, implementers, and participants.

Outcome

The study shows that developers regard HackShield as a project, a game, and a social movement. The initiative consisted of a municipal promotion campaign, a gameplay period, and an award ceremony for participants. Implementers were generally satisfied with its easy implementation. Greater impact could be achieved by involving schools more actively in promotional efforts. Children indicated that they learned about various cybersecurity topics. To determine the actual impact, a follow-up effect evaluation would be the next step.

Target group

The research was conducted for the regional partnership North Holland Together Safe and HackShield, enabling them to improve the project. Additionally, the findings are relevant for policymakers and municipalities involved in collaborations with HackShield.

Collaboration

The HackShield project, commissioned by North Holland Together Safe,  was conducted by The Hague University of Applied Sciences in collaboration with Saxion University of Applied Sciences

Duration

The project was completed in June 2021.

Publications

Read the report HackShield in Noord-Holland – An evaluation of the implementation and outcomes of HackShield in North Holland municipalities (in Dutch).

Also view the factsheet (in Dutch).