Cyberpsychologist launches campaign to protect young people's judgement in the age of AI

A new fundraising campaign has launched this week to fund a year-long programme of workshops teaching young people how to use AI without eroding their own critical thinking, judgement and independence.

The campaign is led by Sonya Cullington (pictured), a cyberpsychologist, digital policy advisor and certified business psychologist based in Sutton Coldfield.

Hosted on Crowdfunder, it aims to raise £96,000 to fund 12 workshops over the next 12 months.

Each £8,000 contribution funds one full-day workshop for around fifteen participants, followed by three 90-minute accountability sessions across the following three months.

Participants then become peer trainers themselves, extending the reach of each session beyond the initial cohort.

Cullington, who runs BehaviouralAI and sits on the executive committee of the UK Digital Health Council, said: "Young people are the most confident users of these tools and often the least protected from what sustained use does to their thinking.

"This programme teaches them to spot algorithmic bias, notice when their own judgement is slipping, and use AI as a support for their reasoning rather than a substitute for it."

The workshops draw on Cullington's Judgement Integrity Framework, developed through her clinical and policy work on AI use in the NHS and public sector. The methodology has been used with senior professionals across health, government and industry, and is now being adapted for a younger audience.

The campaign is open to individual donations of any size, and to business sponsorship.

An £8,000 sponsorship funds one named workshop, with recognition for the sponsoring organisation and the option to nominate a cohort from a local school, college or youth organisation.

Sponsors will receive a short impact report at the end of the three-month follow-up period.

The main funding round closes on 1 October 2026, with pledges continuing to be accepted after that date.

Find out more about donating or sponsoring a workshop.