Jersey schools help students tackle bullying

​A team of anti-bullying trainers from BeatBullying, a leading international bullying prevention charity, are in Jersey this week (11 - 14 June) to work with primary and secondary schools. Students from across the Island will train to become BeatBullying mentors, providing support to their peers and becoming anti-bullying advocates in their community.

 

Eight trainers, including the head of the BeatBullying training team and the director of the organisation, will be working in the Island from Tuesday until Friday. The training is designed to enable young people to help and support others with bullying problems, including cyberbullying.

 

As well as holding workshops with students and staff, they will be holding a multi-agency briefing for a range of States departments and organisations involved in child welfare.
 
BeatBullying helps young people to mentor each other (both in their communities and online via beatbullying.org), as well as providing the support of specialist adult advisers and counsellors. They work with parents and professionals, helping them to develop strategies to prevent bullying. 

CEO and founder of BeatBullying, Emma Jane Cross, said “We are very excited to be in Jersey and are incredibly grateful to have the support of the Island in our mission to make bullying unacceptable.

“It is fantastic that so many of Jersey’s schools are on board, and that the Island’s young people are volunteering to help others in a bid to tackle bullying. We look forward to welcoming them to the BeatBullying community.”

E-learning and e-safety manager at ESC, Jon Tarrant, said “This is an excellent opportunity for Jersey. Next week’s visit follows two very successful previous visits by BeatBullying, whose trainers were highly praised by school staff and students when they were over in the past.

 

“BeatBullying’s approach is pro-active, addressing behaviour in general rather than just focussing on remedial action once bullying incidents become known. Surveys suggest that we have slightly lower levels of bullying in Jersey than in the UK and I’m sure the positive approach that schools take, building on training of the type that BeatBullying provides, is an important factor in this.”