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Beating the bullies
Schools and local services will come together next week to support national anti-bullying week with a series of activities around the county. This year the week runs from 17 – 21 November with a theme of Being Different – Belonging Together. Everyone is being encouraged to lend their support by taking part in activities coordinated by Warwickshire’s Anti-bullying Partnership.
Schools and local services will come together next week to support national anti-bullying week with a series of activities around the county.
This year the week runs from 17 – 21 November with a theme of Being Different – Belonging Together. Everyone is being encouraged to lend their support by taking part in activities coordinated by Warwickshire’s Anti-bullying Partnership.
To celebrate this year’s theme a number of activities have been planned to tackle bullying and prejudice driven discrimination involving primary and secondary schools, youth groups and local communities.
Following the success of last year’s online pledge against cyberbullying with well over 1000 signees, this has been launched again. People are urged to take a moment to sign the pledge against prejudice and discrimination which is featured online at The Zone www.wpthezone.co.uk.
Two competitions have been launched, one for primary pupils to design an anti-bullying poster and another for secondary pupils to design a T-shirt. These projects aim to get children and young people thinking about the theme and finding creative ways to get messages across to their peers.
‘In my day’ is another activity taking place in schools next week. This will involve children and young people talking to an adult in their family about how bullying was handled when they were young and then writing about these experiences. All submitted accounts will be collated and published.
In addition to the countywide projects, schools have chosen to mark the week with additional events and exercises inspired by this year’s theme. Some creative ideas include a Big Brother style diary room for pupils to record their thoughts about bullying, ethnic food tasting and celebration of international festivals, special assemblies, a graffitti wall, suggestion boxes for pupils to lay down any fears and aspirations and non uniform days.
Warwickshire County Councillor Izzi Seccombe, Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People and Families said: “I’m incredibly pleased to see this important issue being tackled in such positive ways, the activities planned are thought provoking and there is something to engage all children, young people and their families.
“We know how harmful bullying is and need to work persistently to stamp it out, so while I think it is fantastic that everyone is on board for Anti-bullying week we need to ensure that this great work continues throughout the year. I encourage schools and families to think about what they might be able to do to continue to tackle bullying.”
Warwickshire’s anti-bullying partnership is made up of Warwickshire County Council, schools, Warwickshire Police and a range of other agencies including Connexions, Relate and Victim Support who work together to influence positive behaviours and stamp out bullying.
Every November Anti-bullying Week, which is organised nationally by the Anti-bullying Alliance, highlights the effects bullying to educate the public and send a clear message that bullying is never acceptable.
For more information about the partnership and how to get involved with any of the projects log onto www.warwickshire.gov.uk/bullying