Anti-Bullying Week
This post has been written by Classroom Secrets
This year’s Anti-Bullying Week campaign focuses on ‘Change Starts with Us’ and how right they are.
In today’s world of fast moving (and sometimes anonymous) communication and with a growing desire to be the centre of attention and/or approved by the masses, standing up to the less favourable amongst us and empowering people with the right amount of self-confidence has never been more important.
Recently, the Anti-Bullying Alliance released a report (in conjunction with O2) which has highlighted the current problems facing the younger generation and how those children believe change can really happen.
Two of the most interesting findings of the report (which involved surveying 1,000 11 to 16-year olds) were that:
- Over three quarters (76%) of participants felt that social media and gaming platforms could do more to help tackle bullying
- Just under three quarters (73%) believed that adults should do more to support and help address the problem.
However, possibly the most telling result of the report is that 25% of those surveyed believed that adults were bad role models for tackling bullying, with them citing poor online and face-to-face behaviour.
As a result, the key focus to this year’s Anti-Bullying Campaign is that ‘Change Starts With Us’. The report has made a number of practical, reasonable recommendations that can be implemented by ANYONE. The point being that we, the bystander, can make a significant difference in being an ‘upstander’. According to the report, research has found that bystanders can play an important role in reducing the number of bullying incidents, as well as being effective in implementing coping and reactive strategies for those suffering.
It is only through the safety of numbers and a consistent message being delivered to society that real change can happen. With bullying statistics on the rise, we need to stop the rot and make a stand together. We ALL have a responsibility to not tolerate any form of bullying, whether it be at school, at home, in the street or in the workplace. Don’t give bullies the space to hide – call them out. Highlight that what they are doing is wrong. If they can’t hide, they don’t have the power to make people’s lives a misery. We need to believe that WE can make the difference.
#AntiBullyingWeek #ChangeStartsWithUs #OddSocksDay
Link to the full report: https://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/sites/default/files/field/attachment/Change%20Starts%20With%20Us%20-%20report%20-%20FINAL_0.pdf
