Anti-Bullying Guide
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scouts.org.uk/bullying TOGETHER WE CAN BEAT BULLYING. The Scouting Guide to Taking Action !@£$%&* !@£$%&* 02 Let’s stamp out bullying together SCOUTING HAS THE POWER TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH BULLYING IS NOT ACCEPTABLE... This guide has been written to help you to reduce the chances of bullying happening, and to help young people who may be being bullied. The Scout Association has an Anti- Bullying Policy that states: ‘It is the responsibility of all adults in Scouting to help develop a caring and supportive atmosphere, where bullying in any form is unacceptable.’ This applies to everyone within Scouting – adults and young people. In Scouting we create positive and respect environments where we value and celebrate our differences. This makes it difficult for bullying to occur. However, at some time we will all have experienced bullying, either as a target or an observer. That’s why it’s important that all adults and young people understand the role they play in addressing and preventing bullying. Let’s stamp out bullying together 03 3 CONTENTS 5 WHAT IS BULLYING? - 5 UNDERSTANDING BULLYING - HOW DO I RECOGNISE6 THE SIGNS? - HOW CAN I HELP? - 7 CREATING YOUR OWN 8 ANTI-BULLYING CODE - RESPONDING TO BULLYING - INVOLVING PARENTS - 9 CYBERBULLYING - 10 WHERE CAN I FIND HELP? - 12 WHAT IS BULLYING? Physical: Threatening or causing injury to a person or property Young people say that bullying Verbal: Teasing, insulting, ridiculing, is their biggest concern humiliating or making sexist, racist, or homophobic comments to someone Bullying is found in all walks of life, and can happen anywhere, to anyone. Some may say Social: Excluding others from a group, spreading ‘it’s just part of growing up’, but many young gossip or rumours about them, rejecting or people feel powerless to stop bullying and may isolating them, or making them feel inferior carry its effects long into their adult lives. Cyber: using digital media to purposefully Bullying can take many different forms, harm someone, like spreading rumours some less obvious than others. and hurtful comments through the use of e-mail, mobile phones, social media Bullying is deliberately hurtful websites and text messaging. behaviour that is usually repeated over a period of time. Young people experience bullying for a variety of reasons; where they live, their sexuality, gender, Bullying is not the same as disputes and disability, the colour of their skin, what clothes they squabbles between friends – although this may wear or what team they support. Often, young turn into bullying, and should be addressed. people have no idea why they are being bullied. Bullying behaviour deliberately causes hurt, is It’s every adult’s responsibility to ensure that young repetitive and involves an imbalance of power. people live, learn and play in an environment In other words the person on the receiving where bullying behaviour does not take place. end feels like they can’t defend themselves. Young people say they want adults to help Bullying can be: them when bullying takes place, but often adults find it difficult to establish whether bullying is taking place or know what to do. FOR NEARLY 20% OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO CALL CHILDLINE ABOUT BULLYING, THE BULLY IS A FORMER FRIEND. Let’s stamp out bullying together 05 UNDERSTANDING BULLYING Bullying hurts. It can make people feel that it’s HOW DO I somehow their fault or that there is something RECOGNISE wrong with them. It can have a devastating effect on young people’s self-esteem and THE SIGNS? destroy their confidence and concentration. Because it often happens away from They may become more withdrawn and others, bullying is not always easy to insecure, more cautious and less willing to detect. But you can watch for signs take any sort of risk. It can leave young people that someone may be being bullied. feeling lonely, isolated and very unhappy. For example, the Member who: Bullying has an effect on everyone, not just • hesitates to come to meetings those directly involved. Some feel they can or join in activities only stand on the sidelines and do nothing because if they intervene they run the • asks to change Groups, Patrols, etc. risk of being turned on themselves. This • is the last one to get picked for makes them feel helpless and guilty. a team for no apparent reason, or gets picked on when people think your back is turned BULLYING BEHAVIOURS • is often the target of jokes We need to be aware of young people and adults displaying bullying behaviours and attitudes that • is reluctant to go to certain places impact on other young people in a negative way. or work with certain individuals For example, using their physical presence to •has clothing or personal FOR NEARLY 20% OF THE YOUNG intimidate, influence or impress others or a possessions go missing tendency to relate to others in a negative way, like • has bruising or some other injury PEOPLE WHO CALL CHILDLINE persistently making negative comments. • keeps ‘losing’ their subs or is ABOUT BULLYING, THE BULLY It is important to challenge these behaviours and short of pocket money attitudes, both directly (through conversations IS A FORMER FRIEND. with the young people in question) and indirectly • is quiet and nervous, withdraws (through practice and the content of programmes). from everybody else and becomes quiet and shy (especially in the case of people who are usually loud and noisy) • refuses to talk about the problem •is usually quiet but becomes suddenly prone to lashing out at people, both verbally and physically. REMEMBER THAT ADULTS CAN BE BOTH THE VICTIMS OF BULLYING OR THE BULLY. 06 Let’s stamp out bullying together HOW CAN I HELP? You can get programme materials from Programmes online, or you could use some of Creating a positive culture the resources available from beatbullying.org Help to create a respectful and friendly Putting it into practice environment in your section or Group where bullying isn’t acceptable. Day to day practices should reflect the message that bullying is never acceptable and Respectful environment: Help to develop be continuously reinforced in all you do. a friendly and inclusive environment where young people respect one another. This will Communication: Make all adult volunteers allow everyone to work together through aware of the Anti-bullying policy as part of their programmes and activities and at the same induction, as well as young people and their time prevent bullying from taking place. parents and carers. Leaders meetings are great to discuss any worries that adults might have. Be a role model: Young people often learn by example, so make sure that you act as a role Observe: Work on your observational and listening model and display friendly, respectful and positive skills so that you can pick up on any subtle signs behaviours,that reflect Scouting values. Talk to of bullying. Look out for any early changes in young people and, most importantly, listen to them behaviour that a possible victim may be displaying. and show them respect, so they will respect others. Environmental factors: Consult young people on Build positive relationships: Building positive spaces where they do not feel safe and rearrange relationships based on respect and embracing equipment or supervision patterns to eliminate difference is essential to prevent bullying. these. Managing the environment can help reduce Teaching young people to negotiate, socialise bullying.Provide quiet spaces where young people appropriately and to find non-bullying strategies can be guaranteed time to themselves or spaces to deal with conflict will create an environment to act as social havens. In a noisy environment where bullying is less likely to be accepted. can overwhelm some young people with special needs, so it is helpful to provide chill out zones. Programme activities: It’s important that anti-bullying is talked about with young people. Act: If you’re concerned about bullying in This can be done through activities built into your section, make sure you tell the other the programme, especially during Anti-bullying Leaders. You must intervene, monitor week, which happens every November in UK. and record any bullying situations. Let’s stamp out bullying together 07 ‘I DON’T WANT TO TELL MY MUM AND DAD - IT WOULD UPSET THEM TOO MUCH.’ SUNITA, 16 CREATING YOUR OWN There are normally five main goals ANTI-BULLYING CODE for an Anti-bullying code: • To improve young people’ self confidence Anti-bullying codes are a great way for young people to focus on how they interact with each other and • To promote good behaviour what they will do if they experience bullying. in the Group or section • To improve the Group environment All Groups and Sections should have a clear and make it a place where bullying policy or code for dealing with bullying and is less likely to happen for helping those who have been bullied. • To improve everyone’s awareness Involve young people in anti-bullying of bullying and its consequences work, as this is far more likely to succeed • To make sure everyone is aware than if ideas are imposed on them. of the action that may be taken Ask young people what they feel constitutes if bullying takes place. bullying - you can relate bullying to the Promise and Law. Discussions about what is and is not bullying Make sure they are seen can help form the basis for the Anti-Bullying Code. Anti-bullying codes should always be created Anti-bullying codes should be prominently in partnership with the young people, but that displayed for all to see. Regularly review the code doesn’t stop the Leaders signing up to it too.