Maria Cruz Arenas Motilla


Maria Cruz Arenas Motilla

Project Manager of the Technological Institute for Children's Products and Leisure (AIJU). Researcher on risk assessment of children's products since 2003. Manager of research projects at national and European level. In recent years, her activity has been mainly focused on the development of innovative educational projects on children’s products safety for consumers, industry and authorities.

6 October 2023 08:30 - 10:00
Room H

Introduction
The risks of counterfeit products are not self-evident risks. The presence of banned chemicals or chemicals above the permitted regulatory limits is one of the most commonly observed hazards to children's health and safety, but it is not the only one. Consumers often make their purchase decisions based mainly on the price, ignoring the risks involved in buying and using counterfeit products. Consumer education and awareness-raising are key to achieving a fair, safe, and sustainable product market. This learning and awareness-raising process should start at early stages of education.

Objectives:
The objectives of the “SAFEorFAKE? Toolkit” Project were to develop, make known and promote a new educational tool on the importance of intellectual property and the risks that counterfeit consumer products pose to health, society, and the environment. This tool was designed for children, teachers, future teachers, and other trainers with the support of the European Union Intellectual Property Office.

Methods:
The SAFEorFAKE? Toolkit was developed using the Lean Design e-Learning methodology. This method is based on the application of the Lean Canvas methodologies, for the creation of online educational resources. The content design involved the participation of school-age children through online questionnaires and group dynamics in schools. Toys and the story behind them were used as a learning vehicle. The SAFEorFAKE? Toolkit was disseminated and promoted through four main dissemination channels: events, online platforms, social media, and traditional media. Results The SAFEorFAKE? Toolkit (https://www.safeorfake.eu/en/toolkit/) consists of a series of didactic play materials for children’s learning and awareness-raising through their parents, and didactic guides to support these materials for use in Primary Education with teachers and pupils. The training contents are segmented in four learning topics around counterfeit toys:

• Importance of intellectual property
• Risks to children’s health
• Risks to society
• Environmental risks

The dissemination activities carried out through different channels allowed to reach more than eight million people in Spain. Conclusion The topics covered by the SAFEorFAKE? Toolkit such as intellectual property, child product safety, consumer protection, economics, and environmental aspects are common to all Member States, as they are regulated by European directives and regulations applicable to all EU countries. The project was implemented in Spain, as a pilot experience, and it may be easily transferred to other European countries.

Encarna Alemañ Baeza - Technological Institute for Children's Products and Leisure (AIJU) Karina Pernías Peco - Technological Institute for Children's Products and Leisure (AIJU) Alicia Ramos Fernández - Technological Institute for Children's Products and Leisure (AIJU)