THE STRING MOVEMENT EXISTS TO DISARM BULLYING WHO WE ARE MISSION STATEMENT The String Movement exists Disarm Bullying by raising awareness, building a global community and providing pathways to education and training for students, parents and teachers within local and global communities. GOVERNANCE Sarah Khiroya founded The String Movement in March 2011, after becoming increasingly concerned about the damaging impact of bullying within her local community. A year and a half after conception, The String Movement was taken on as an official project of Hillsong City Care (a church-based not-for-profit organisation working within the community). The String Movement has had a significant influence within schools and community groups both within Australia and internationally and has become a globally recognised movement to Disarm Bullying in the 21st Century. The purpose of The String Movement is to provide an inclusive framework to disarm bullying within local and global communities. WHO WE ARE “The String Movement” is a movement which exists to disarm bullying in this generation. Statistics show that on average 3 out of every 5 students in high schools are bullied. That is 2, 211,851 of Australian young people. In the lives of victims, bullying can cause: • Increased anxiety, stress, illness, withdrawal, isolation, low self esteem, lack of assertiveness, insecurity and depression • Those who are bullied are 9 x more likely to have suicidal thoughts than those who aren’t bullied • 160,000 young people stay home from school each day in Australia as a result of bullying • Young people who bully are more likely to drop out of school, abuse drugs and alcohol and engage in criminal behaviour by the age of 30 • Male bullies are more likely to batter and bash their spouses and abuse their children THE DIFFERENCE The String Movement is different to other anti – bullying campaigns, as from its foundations it is about the empowerment of young people to make a difference. We believe our role is to change the culture of what is tolerated and accepted in society at a grass roots level. CORE VALUES • Awareness • Education • Community The slogan, “Tie it, Tell it, Yell it” marks the three levels of involvement that a person can have in The String Movement. Currently, our website directs young people join the movement and then to download their very own Tool Kit which outlines the variety of ways in which students can become involved. THE STRING MOVEMENT EXISTS TO DISARM BULLYING WHO WE ARE PROGRESS The String Movement was established on June 8th 2011 and is already having a vast impact on both local and international communities. With representatives in countries such as- Australia, USA, South Africa, UK, Russia, Philippines, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Indonesia, Norway, Malaysia, Chile, Spain, Singapore, Taiwan, Switzerland, Brazil, Germany, Costa Rica & Argentina – The movement has become a world -wide establishment. SCHOOLS We have so far had the opportunity to present, “The String Movement” to an estimated 200 local schools across Australia and this figure is ever expanding. The below local Australian schools have adopted The String Movement as a part of work towards, their official anti-bullying policies: - Abbotsleigh High School - Babinda State High School - Blaxland High School - Bosco College - Cairns State High - Canobolas High School - Castle Hill High - Cherry brook Technology High School - Citipointe Christian College, - Diamond Valley College - Glenwood High - Good Counsel College (in Innisfail) - Inaburra High School - Inisfail State High - Jamison High - Kinross Walaroi High - Pacific Hills High - Pennant Hills High - Moorebank High - Norwest Christian College - Nunawading High School - Orange Anglican Grammar School - Oxley High - Redbank Plains state High - Riverstone High - Rooty Hill High - Shalom Christian College Townsville - South Sydney Highschool - Springwood High School - St. Marys High School - St. Peters College THE STRING MOVEMENT EXISTS TO DISARM BULLYING WHO WE ARE - Toongabbie Christian School - Tully State High - Tyndale Christian School - Macgregor State High - Mansfield State High - William Clark College - Winmalee - Wyndham College In Australia alone approximately 50,000 students have heard the message of, The String Movement and are on the road to becoming String Advocates in their communities. SCHOOL TESTIMONIALS Schools are doing remarkable things to show their support of, The String Movement – For example: - Riverstone High school allowed the students to paint a mural on their school wall as a symbol of their commitment to disarm bullying in their High school. - Cherrybrook High school launched The String Movement, by creating their own school approved string wristbands and are allowing students to wear them as a symbol, to create awareness for the damaging effects of bullying in their community. -St Phillips High school had every student sign a pledge to say that they were going to be a part of the movement to disarm bullying before handing out school approved string wristbands to create awareness and holds students accountable to setting a new culture within their school and community. -Kinross Wollaroi Highschool joined with all the other local high schools and primary schools in the community of Orange, NSW in order to work towards seeing bullying disarmed in their community. Local sporting teams then allowed students to wear orange shoelaces on field to show their support for, The String Movement. These are just a few examples of schools that have joined together to make a difference within their local community for more examples please feel free to contact us. ADVOCATES TESTIMONIALS Josephine’s Story When I reached year 7 all I wanted to be known for was the popular kid.. The cool kid. I put people down in order to put myself higher than them! I was the bully. I was a verbal bully and cyber bully, which meant those who i bullied couldn't get away from me. There was girl who i bullied because of her physical disability... i would point it out all the time.. I'd msn her the nastiest things anyone could ever say.. There was this other girl who started modeling in our english class.. "How could you be a model? You're so weird and ugly!" and then there was this one girl... She'd take photos of herself and put them onto BEBO and I would comment under them saying "Why do you take photos of yourself. You're so fat and ugly!" She was in my PE class.. I told her that she smelled so bad that she needed to make sure that she'd have perfume on everyday! I wasnt surprised that she started to bring impulse perfume to class the next day. But i didnt stop there, "I like this impulse, buy another one for yourself because im keeping this one and you need it because you stink!!" I'd msn the girls i hate THE STRING MOVEMENT EXISTS TO DISARM BULLYING WHO WE ARE saying things like.. "You're a *&^%** mistake!, You're so ugly, you belong in a zoo!! You're *&^() retarded.. I used every swear word and put down under the sun!! I was hurt by those closest to me and putting down others was my way of lifting myself up! Nothing stopped me.. well i thought nothing could.. It wasnt until i heard about The String Movement that I realized i could be "cool" just by spreading love!! Its funny now.. Im good friends with the girl who i stole impulse from.. some people cant even remember who that side of me was..Some people brush it off or laugh, but it sparks conversation and i get to tell them my story! Helen’s Story My daughter who is now 13 and in year 8, had a really difficult time in her final year of primary school… She had been bullied periodically since she was in year 3. By year 6 she had no confidence and was really struggling with her self-image. She felt powerless to stand up to the girls who for years had been ostracizing her, calling her names, putting her down every chance they got. Even though those of us who love her constantly told her how amazing she was, I know that she believed a lot of the words that were spoken over her. She felt worthless, alone and hopeless - and that it was all her fault. Midway through the year things got to the point where she had begun to self-harm. She was very depressed and our doctor even recommended that we put her on anti-depressants at the age of 11 ½ (which we declined). As her mum I was devastated for her and the impact this had on our family as a whole. I also remember being really saddened by the fact that most of the girls, whom I was familiar with, were nice girls with nice parents. I still believe to this day they had no idea of how their words and behavior cut through my daughter’s confidence, self-image and at times even her will to live.Once she got to her first year of high school she was introduced to the String Movement. The first time she came home with a piece of string tied to her wrist she was so excited as she told me about the String Movement and all it stands for. For the first time she began to really understand how prevalent bullying is and that she was not alone. Not alone in being bullied and not alone in wanting it to stop, and this was so empowering to her –she no longer felt ashamed and isolated. She understood how powerful the words that had been spoken over her were. But more than that she has had a revelation that God can and will use her own painful experience to reach the lives of others through the message of the String Movement – just one person at a time standing up and saying that it’s not acceptable can truly make a difference.