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Our amazing groupOur amazing group• We held 4 meetings across We held 4 meetings across

the county and over 30 the county and over 30 young people (aged 12 – 19) young people (aged 12 – 19) contributed their views on contributed their views on bullying. We asked them bullying. We asked them what the most important what the most important problems were and what problems were and what they thought the solutions they thought the solutions should be.should be.

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What are the most important problems?

– When young people report bullying they feel it isn’t When young people report bullying they feel it isn’t always taken seriously and dealt with effectively. always taken seriously and dealt with effectively. “People ignore it” they “don’t realize how bad it is “People ignore it” they “don’t realize how bad it is and the effect it has”. They “don’t believe you and and the effect it has”. They “don’t believe you and don’t take it seriously”.don’t take it seriously”.

– If there is poor discipline and control in the If there is poor discipline and control in the classroom bullying is likely to be worse. “Teachers classroom bullying is likely to be worse. “Teachers need to control and maintain discipline”need to control and maintain discipline”

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What are the most important problems?

– Young people said they don’t want to report Young people said they don’t want to report bullying because when they do they are not always bullying because when they do they are not always able to do so confidentially. They feel they … don’t able to do so confidentially. They feel they … don’t have control over what happens and that feels have control over what happens and that feels unsafe. They “don’t consider your feelings” and unsafe. They “don’t consider your feelings” and there is “no follow up”…there is “no follow up”…

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The effects of bullyingThe effects of bullying– ““Difficult to tell people ….frightened of what they Difficult to tell people ….frightened of what they

may say”may say”– It changes you “you have to be the bully to fight It changes you “you have to be the bully to fight

the bully”the bully”– People don’t understand what bullying is, how it People don’t understand what bullying is, how it

affects you or what they should do about itaffects you or what they should do about it

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TrainingTraining• Young people thought that there should be Young people thought that there should be

“Compulsory training of all staff” ” They had “Compulsory training of all staff” ” They had clear ideas about what the training should clear ideas about what the training should include:include:– How seriously bullying affects young people & how How seriously bullying affects young people & how

bad it isbad it is– The psychology of bullying and how to deal with itThe psychology of bullying and how to deal with it– Listening skillsListening skills

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• We should “involve young people in We should “involve young people in training” adults as they can tell what it training” adults as they can tell what it is really like and what needs to be doneis really like and what needs to be done

Training

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Support for young people who are bullied

• Young people felt it was crucial to provide support for young Young people felt it was crucial to provide support for young people who are bullied, someone to talk to, reassurance and people who are bullied, someone to talk to, reassurance and specially trained staff to help sort things out.specially trained staff to help sort things out.

• ““Clubs that are open, safe place to go”Clubs that are open, safe place to go”• To be listened to and provided with counselling – “someone to To be listened to and provided with counselling – “someone to

listen to me” – “reassurance” – “ counselling”listen to me” – “reassurance” – “ counselling”• ““Groups for young people who have been bullied” to support each Groups for young people who have been bullied” to support each

other and “learn strategies to deal with bullying”other and “learn strategies to deal with bullying”• ““Special teacher who is trained and experienced .. job to Special teacher who is trained and experienced .. job to

support people who have been bullied and help sort it out”support people who have been bullied and help sort it out”• Adults “consult you about what should happen and get agreement Adults “consult you about what should happen and get agreement

before doing anything” They “respect your feelings and opinions” before doing anything” They “respect your feelings and opinions” and keep you informedand keep you informed

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Work with young people who bullyWork with young people who bully

• Young people felt that there needed to be a combination of Young people felt that there needed to be a combination of effective sanctions and educating the young person responsible effective sanctions and educating the young person responsible for bullying to help them stop.for bullying to help them stop.

• ““Harsher punishment and sanctions” that work (like internal Harsher punishment and sanctions” that work (like internal exclusions which include hard work). exclusions which include hard work).

• ““Shock tactics” and showing young people the consequences of Shock tactics” and showing young people the consequences of continuing to bully and hurt others e.g. visits to prisons, naming continuing to bully and hurt others e.g. visits to prisons, naming and shaming, withdrawal of privilegesand shaming, withdrawal of privileges

• Restorative meetings and groups for “bullies” which help young Restorative meetings and groups for “bullies” which help young people to learn the impact of their behavior and how to behave people to learn the impact of their behavior and how to behave differently. “Understand why they bully … try to get to the differently. “Understand why they bully … try to get to the bottom of the problem” “Make sure they understand what they bottom of the problem” “Make sure they understand what they have done …. putting them in others shoes”have done …. putting them in others shoes”

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Prevention & InformationPrevention & Information• Young people felt that everyone needs “education on Young people felt that everyone needs “education on

what bullying is” what bullying is” • An “internet website ….reporting and educating”An “internet website ….reporting and educating”• ““Needs to be confidential e-mail/text bullying Needs to be confidential e-mail/text bullying

service” for each school/settingservice” for each school/setting• Films & DVDs for “bullies” and teachers/adults to Films & DVDs for “bullies” and teachers/adults to

show them the consequences of bullyingshow them the consequences of bullying• Police and community support officers need to be Police and community support officers need to be

around before and after school and in the community around before and after school and in the community to challenge bullying when it happensto challenge bullying when it happens

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PolicyPolicy• Schools should be “forced to tackle bullying” and Schools should be “forced to tackle bullying” and

dealing with bullying should be “emphasised as a dealing with bullying should be “emphasised as a serious issue”serious issue”

• It should be a “requirement for bullying to be It should be a “requirement for bullying to be reported and recorded within schools”reported and recorded within schools”

• Police need to be more involvedPolice need to be more involved• There should be an on-line reporting system that is There should be an on-line reporting system that is

referred back to schoolsreferred back to schools

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Anti-Bullying Peer Support Anti-Bullying Peer Support SchemesSchemes

• Young people feel it’s “harder to tell an adult” and Young people feel it’s “harder to tell an adult” and that there need to be “other young people to listen to that there need to be “other young people to listen to you” Each school needs to have an active system of you” Each school needs to have an active system of peer support for bullying in place with older pupils peer support for bullying in place with older pupils providing support. “Older mentors, trained sixth providing support. “Older mentors, trained sixth formers and on-line peer support” schemes would be formers and on-line peer support” schemes would be a good idea. Peer support was felt to be very a good idea. Peer support was felt to be very important.important.

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What are the solutions?What are the solutions?• Young people saw the two most Young people saw the two most

important solutions being to train important solutions being to train adults to deal with bullying adults to deal with bullying properly (1/5 of all comments) properly (1/5 of all comments) and providing good support for and providing good support for victims of bullying (1/5 of all victims of bullying (1/5 of all comments). comments).