current projects
In a mission to combat bullying in high schools, a campaign has been developed with the support from the Bay of Plenty Steamers and Tauranga Safe City and is rolling out into intermediate schools in the Bay of Plenty. The anti-bullying messages are aimed at empowering bullying victims and is to remind them that the bully is always the problem, not the victim. It is about putting the power and confidence back into the victim's hands and the bully recognising that in the end, 'no one likes a bully'.
The content was developed through the facilitation of focus groups and is aimed at 10-13 year olds who are moving forward into high school.
The Bay of Plenty Steamers and mascot, Steamie, will be heavily involved in the implementation of this campaign into Bay of Plenty intermediate schools.
Are you worried about your child?! Read through the following info with them, listen to what they are trying to tell you and talk it through with them. If you'd like more advice and information, click here
What is bullying?
Verbal bullying - name calling, put downs, threats, teasing, rumours, gossip.
Physical bullying - being punched, tripped, kicked, pinched, having your belongings stolen or damaged.
Peer bullying - being left out, ignored, emotional blackmail, being pressured into situations you’re not comfortable with.
Cyber bullying – having your privacy hacked into, being teased via social networking sites, emails or public websites, being stalked or threatened via texts.
Why do people bully?
- They may think it will make them popular
- To feel better about themselves
- To make themselves look tough
- To get attention
- They might be jealous
- They may be being bullied themselves
- They may be insecure
- To be accepted
- Lack of knowledge, fear or misunderstanding
They may enjoy the feeling of power
Often bullying can become a bully’s way of dealing with his or her own problems. A bully can be someone you know at school, a friend, a teacher, your boyfriend or girlfriend, brother or sister, an extended family member, or even someone you don’t know.
What can you do if you are being bullied?
Speak up, don’t shut up!
Coping with bullies can be difficult but it’s important to remember you are not the problem, the bully is.
First and foremost you should tell an adult you trust. It might be an older brother or sister, family friend, parent, teacher, counsellor, principal, social worker, even a friend’s parent. Keeping quiet means the bully gets away with it – don’t be a victim.
Ignore the bully, if you don’t react to them, they may get bored and will leave you alone.
Spend time with your friends – bullies hardly ever pick on people if they’re with a handful of their mates.
Don’t give out your cellphone number to anyone other than your friends. Always keep your Bebo or Facebook pages and photos set to private and only accept friends that you actually know.
Even if you think you have resolved the issue yourself, it is still important to tell an adult. They can handle the situation in ways you may not be able to.
What can you do if you see someone else being bullied?
If you see someone else being bullied you should always help the person to tell an adult they can trust. If you do nothing, you're saying that bullying is okay with you. It’s not ok, so speak up!
Are you a bully?
Do you avoid thinking about how other people might feel if you say or do hurtful things? Think about why you bullied someone and how you were feeling at the time. Remember to always treat others the way you would like to be treated.
Most bullies are not liked in the end. No one likes a bully.
