Help with bullying problem in schools

Skylight, an organisation that helps young people and their families and whanau deal with change, grief and loss, is not surprised by the report School Safety: An inquiry into the safety of students at school prepared by the office of the Children’s Commissioner, as it often deals with the fallout from bullying.

The report found that bullying is preventing some children from getting a proper education, and reveals the wide ranging impacts arising from not addressing violence and bullying in schools, including absenteeism, early school dropouts, low self esteem and further down the track, violent tendencies.

Mrs Bice Awan, Skylight’s chief executive said, “Bullying is a very real and very serious issue, the extent of which has increased with technology – children are now able to be bullied via cell phone and the internet.

“Skylight recognises the gravity of this situation and how it can impact young people, hence the services we have developed.”

For example, Skylight offers Travellers, a school-based programme that aids schools in identifying the children ‘at risk’ that often fall below the radar – many of these children may be experiencing bullying but not telling anyone.

Through Travellers, students build resilience and gain self-esteem and communication skills and subsequently enhance their ability to learn.

Knowing how to cope in stressful times, including facing bullying, and having healthy self-esteem is extremely beneficial to their learning.

So far 77 schools around NZ have recognised the Travellers programme as an extremely valuable resilience building and self esteem programme for 12 to 14-year-olds. They are all seeing great results.

“It is sad that more schools are not taking up this opportunity to access the Travellers programme, which assists them to support their young people who have self-identified as being at risk,” says Mrs Awan.

Another Skylight initiative provides training and ‘know how’ to the teachers, principals and other educators who work with youth, on how to deal with bullying. Skylight’s YEAH programme (Youth, Esteem and Healing) is offered nationally.

It is an informative three hour workshop designed specifically for those working with or caring for teenagers facing difficult life situations such as bullying, risk-taking and suicide loss.

“We know that early support for children and their families is important for young people to gain strategies to deal with difficult and tough issues in their lives. Increasing the Bounce is another programme that focuses on providing this knowledge at preschool and primary school levels.”

Skylight recognises that YEAH and Increasing the Bounce are not utilised as well as they might be by schools to stop bullying in their schools, as these programmes support teachers and professionals to deal with this very serious issue.

Skylight also provides support to the individual young people being bullied and their family/whanau.

Skylight would like to see, at a very minimum, the resources it has on bullying to be available at every school, and for the resources be handed to the parents and families of those involved.

“Often parents and families and whanau ask for well tested advice on how to talk to their children about bullying: what is useful, practical and what they can do that will make a difference in their children’s lives,” says Mrs Awan.

“We also acknowledge that ‘bullies’ and their families struggle with how to change behaviours and/or gain support when there are other significantly difficult times in their lives.”