How We Make a Difference

Working to Inspire Change.

We work to reduce the impact of bullying behaviour and the harm it causes through programmes, resources and services that:

• Increase confidence and self-esteem
• Build communities of support
• Reduce isolation and loneliness
• Promote positive and respectful relationships
• Challenge attitudes and behaviours
• Support resilience and wellbeing
• Help children understand, recognise and respond to bullying behaviour

In 2020, despite schools and workplaces closing for much of the year, we quickly adapted much of our work to ensure we could continue to deliver our much needed services virtually as well as socially distanced. Working with 83 schools and running open courses:

• 4679 young people participated in our workshops and benefitted from our resource kits
• 128 young people were trained to become Peer Mentors
• 72 children were trained to become Playground Pals
• 1844 children and young people attended our virtual Stand Up, Speak Out, Stay Safe sessions
• 220 young people benefitted from our ‘Awesome is Me!’ Gratitude Journal
• 136 Parents attended our virtual workshops
• 310 Professionals received CPD Certified training
• 364 received direct e-Mentoring support

Take a look at our 2020/2021 Impact Report

Increase Confidence and Self-Esteem

Bullying behaviour can wear down the confidence and self-esteem of a person. Using a range of strategies, mentoring and workshops, we encourage and empower people to take positive action to keep themselves and others safe and to speak out against bullying behaviour.

Building Communities of Support

Accessing support and guidance is essential and we deliver training programmes to empower those who work with children and young people to identify bullying behaviours in more details, help create environments where all children and young people feel safe, included and supported and feel able to build positive relationships with one another.

Reduce Isolation and Loneliness

When a person is bullied that can feel alone and isolated. Having someone to talk to can make a world of difference. Our e-Mentors are available to speak, by email, with individuals affected by bullying behaviour. We use an e-mentoring service because of its accessibility across distance and location. Communication by e-mentoring is unhindered by nerves, awkwardness, or social restraints and this encourages open and honest conversation.

Our Mentors support people with whatever is worrying them, whether it’s bullying, self-harm or family relationships. They all share the same passion and the same commitment to supporting others and making a difference. They’re here to listen, offer support, guidance and encouragement for all.

Promote Positive and Respectful Relationships

Children and young people need support to develop positive relationships both face to face and online. They need to learn how to resolve conflict, to negotiate peer pressure and to take positive action in a bullying situation.   BulliesOut workshops,  youth engagement programmes and campaigns have a central focus on promoting positive relationships that teach young people to recognise bullying behaviours both in themselves and others, and take positve action to deal with it.

In 2017, we developed our Making the Leap transition workshop and we also deliver our multiple award winning Peer2Peer training for secondary age young people and Playground Pals for primary age children, both which help develop skills and encourgae children and young people to support each other with any challenges they may face.

Challenge Attitudes and Behaviours

Our workshops cover a range of anti-bullying and well-being themes and are designed to be inclusive, interactive and age appropriate. They are jargon free and are designed to challenge, encourage debate and participation and motivate children and young people to create a safe, inclusive and accepting environment. Although each of our workshops for young people have their own individual outcomes, each one will also:

• Give participants a clear understanding of bullying
• Identify types of bullying behaviour
• Reinforce the importance of reporting bullying and identify methods to do so

Support Resilience and Wellbeing

Building the confidence, self-esteem and resilience of children and young people is at the core of our work. Being resilient can help you to manage stressful situations, protect you from mental ill-health and improve your health and wellbeing. We all experience challenges and conflict in our lives, and it’s important children and young people understand the difference between conflict and bullying behaviour, but there are practical steps we can take to keep ourselves and others safe. By using a range of strategies and activities to help build the resilience and wellbeing of young people, we can empower them to take positive action to keep themselves and others safe.

Help Children Understand, Recognise and Respond to Bullying Behaviour

As children and young people progress through their school career, they will have undoubtedly witnessed, experienced, or even participated in acts of bullying, so it is vital they are supported to speak out about bullying behaviour and empowered to take positive action. Through the extensive work we deliver in schools and youth settings, we ensure all children and young people understand the difference between bullying and teasing, the impact bullying can have on a person, and what it means to be a bystander and an upstander. We also teach about the difference between conflict and bullying. Using positive, practical resources, activities and tools we help them become more aware of how their behaviour (both online and offline) can impact others.

We work tirelessly to change the lives of those affected by bullying and we know we make a difference. We see it in the way people engage in our projects, how we empower them and how they develop confidence and learn new skills.

By developing a positive ethos across a whole school, organisation or workplace, we can create an environment that meets the emotional, academic and social needs of pupils and staff. Creating an anti-bullying and respectful ethos is a powerful way to Inspire Change.