Schoolchildren in the west of the Island received important safety advice last week as part of a major anti-bullying initiative.
A roadshow organised by the Western Multi Agency Team (MAT) offered pupils guidance on how to deal with a wide range of issues, including physical and emotional bullying, victimisation and cyber bullying via social networking sites.
Police officers, child welfare professionals, communications staff and peer mentors were among those who delivered sessions at Marown, St John’s, Kirk Michael, Peel Clothworkers and Foxdale schools.
Feedback from the week’s activities, and a series of after-school forums with parents, will help to shape the development of a community anti-bullying policy for the west.
The theme for this year’s National Anti-Bullying Week -‘R U cyber safe?’ - focused on ways of combating the increasing number of incidents of cyber bullying.
Staff from Manx Telecom were on hand to provide practical advice about staying safe online and while using mobile telephones.
They distributed a ‘Fakebook’ leaflet for pupils to take home so that their parents and carers can stay informed about issues surrounding new technology.
The children also received an ‘R U cyber safe?’ wristband, sponsored by Shoprite, featuring the www.beatbullying.org website address.
Officers representing the Western Neighbourhood Policing Team explained the law's position on bullying, while professionals from Special Needs and Psychology Services and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) educated pupils about the skills required to keep themselves emotionally safe from harm.
Staff from the Youth and Community Service and the Children’s Centre then led a series of fun arts and team building games to illustrate the importance of working together and developing positive relationships at school.
The activities were co-ordinated by the Western MAT, one of five regional agencies established throughout the Island to improve the lives of children and young people.
MATs work within their communities to find lasting solutions to local problems and are tasked with helping under-18s to achieve the five goals laid down in the Chief Minister’s Strategy for Children and Young People 2005-2010: staying safe, being healthy, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution and prospering.
Western MAT leader Jo White said, "The team have done a lot of work around the issue of bullying as it was identified by young people as a priority in the Children’s Plan.
"We found that whilst many organisations do tackle bullying very well, there is a lack of consistency in the approaches. We wanted to deliver important information to the young people in the west of the Island, but also to seek to develop a community anti-bullying policy."
The policy will set out minimum standards expected when dealing with bullying and young people.
The views of school children were canvassed by QEII High School’s sixth form peer mentors who worked with the primary children throughout the roadshow. Parents also had an opportunity to express their opinions during forums hosted at each school.
Members of the Western MAT will now begin drafting an anti-bullying policy which, following public consultation, is scheduled for publication in January 2010.
Anybody who would like to contribute their views on any of the issues around bullying or make suggestions for the community anti-bullying policy, should contact Jo White at QEII High School on 841000 or email j.white(at)qe2.sch.im
The Western MAT wishes to thank Manx Telecom, Shoprite and all the professionals who gave up their time to help make the anti-bullying roadshow such a success.
Pictured: Pupils from Class One at Foxdale primary school display their anti-bullying wristbands. With the children are (back, l-r-) Will Corteen (Manx Telecom), PC Kevin Newburn, PC Dave Walker, Andrew Culshaw (Foxdale School) and (front) Susannah Harrison (Manx Telecom).
