Fighting Back

Has anyone ever told you to fight back if you're being bullied? If someone hits you, hit them back? It seems a common piece of advice that parents, grandparents and siblings alike pass on to their relatives when they're being picked on. But is it the right thing to do?

Bully Free Zone says no.

Here's an example of only one of the reasons why fighting back is not the answer.

Girl suspended after reacting to "bullying"


AN ANGRY dad who claims his daughter has been the victim of cruel school bullies has slammed council chiefs after she was suspended from lessons for “fighting back”.


Roy Graham insists his 12-year-old girl Samantha has suffered bullying since she was a pupil at Heriot Primary, in Paisley, and the problems have continued after she moved on to Gleniffer High after the summer break.


He was horrified when Samantha was handed a two-day suspension by Gleniffer High staff for fighting with another pupil.


Mr Graham claims that his daughter was merely defending herself and he is now locked in a war of words with the school in a bid to have the punishment quashed.


He took Samantha along to Gleniffer High yesterday morning – the first day of the ban – but was refused entry by school staff.


Mr Graham said: “They are treating my daughter as the aggressor and that’s not on.
“In my eyes, she has done nothing wrong, so why are they denying her a right to education?”


The Paisley man claims Samantha was targeted by a bully last week.


He said that, when the school bell rang, Samantha made her way to the top of a staircase and was pushed from behind.


Mr Graham then alleges that a bully caught up with his daughter at the foot of the stairs and started to thump her.


But, when Samantha “defended herself”, it was the other girl who ended up on the floor.


The incident was brought to the attention of school staff and Samantha, along with the other pupil, was suspended.


Mr Graham, of Foxbar Road, said: “Kids can only take so much. It was only after many bullying incidents that Samantha hit back.


“She is not a troublemaker and never received so much as a punishment exercise in seven years of primary school.


“I’m told that the other girl involved in this incident had just returned to school after serving another suspension for thumping someone else.”


After being refused entry to Gleniffer High yesterday, Mr Graham and Samantha visited the education department at Renfrewshire Council.


He said: “I told them about the situation and they promised to investigate but I don’t hold out much hope for a successful outcome.”


However, a spokesman for Renfrewshire Council defended the decision to hand Samantha a suspension.


He said: “The council has a strong anti-bullying policy which is operated by all our schools. We fully investigate all allegations of bullying.


“Statements were taken from pupils who witnessed the incident and they gave a consistent account of what had happened.


“In the light of these statements and after considering the full background to the case, the school has taken appropriate action.”

Taken from http://www.paisleydailyexpress.co.uk

Fighting back can cause you and/or someone else to get hurt, like Samantha you may end up in serious trouble and if you're being bullied, the last thing I imagine you would want is to be labelled the bully.

The most important thing you can do if you're being bullied is to TELL SOMEONE!

'David V Goliath' opera receives anti-Bullying award

A rock musical performed by children in West Oxfordshire has received national recognition.

'David V Goliath' has been given the The Diana Anti-Bullying Award, presented by author Philip Pullman.

The play was originally performed for four sold out nights at the Witney Corn Exchange by pupils of The Witchwood School of Rock.

Writer Lee Wyatt-Buchan believed it was the play's strong message that led to its rave reviews.

"The idea was to write a musical that had a point," he told BBC Oxford.

"My real motivation was to write a musical for schools and I thought a good idea would be to focus it on bullying."

Robin Martin-Oliver directed the show which included a cast of 20, with performers aged between ten and 17 years, with one adult performer.

Schools nationwide will now have access to the script and score of 'David V Goliath', as per the writer's original vision.

"We still want to work with schools and have school packs available to use as a tool to talk about how to deal with bullying. It's so important, it's so difficult to deal with and this is a fun way.

"Obviously it's rock music so it's current and from what we've seen with our young cast - who were fantastic - they really responded well with the script and the music and the message."

The Anti-Bullying Alliance came to view the show in April and subsequently put it forward for the award.

"A month later through the post we had the letter saying we'd won the national anti-bullying award from the Diana charity so we were really stoked."

Lee Wyatt-Buchan has since signed a contract with producers in London to bring the musical to a wider audience.

A UK tour will take place next Autumn, with a London run in early 2012. The show will be featuring a professional cast but the emphasis will be on casting new talent.

"We as a creative team are so proud of the guys to get this far," said Lee Wyatt-Buchan.

"To win this award is fantastic."

(article taken from the BBC News)

Coming Out of the other side of bullying

Young people are bullied for a variety of different reasons; it might be because someone is overweight, can't afford to buy the same clothes as everyone else in their school or doesn't have the right hairstyle. But some people are bullied for reasons that are part of who they are and are impossible to control - their name, the colour of their skin, even their sexuality.

A young person who is bullied because of their sexuality is 12% more likely to be absent from school due to bullying and more likely to drop out of education (NUT/Schools Out research). This video was created by Stonewall about a youth volunteer who, after being bullied in school, has used her experiences to run a campaign in Dorset.

Top Tips To Dealing With Bullying

The academic year has begun and children throughout the country are returning to school; starting new classes, spending time with old friends and for some, going back to a place where bullying happens every day. Bullying happens in school and the home (e.g. cyberbullying). It happens in the open and behind closed doors. It happens in groups and with individuals. No two incidents are identical.

But what is bullying?

Bullying is any action that has the intention to cause physical or emotional harm and happens regularly. It hurts, frightens and upsets people, and it doesn’t have to go on for a long time to do this.

Incidents of bullying can include:

• Kicking
• Name Calling
• Making Threats
• Spreading rumours
• Taking people’s things
• Leaving People Out
• Hitting
• Racism
• Nasty text messages

What are the signs of bullying?

Someone who is being bullied might:

• Not want to go to school.
• Begin truanting.
• Often feel ill.
• Suddenly become ill when it’s time for school.
• Be frightened to walk to and from school.
• Begin to lose interest in their schoolwork.
• 'Lose' possessions at school.
• Stop communicating with their parents (particularly after school).
• Change their behaviour, e.g. become aggressive, withdrawn, anxious, etc.
• Lose their appetite.
• Have regular nightmares and/or begin bed-wetting.
• Ask for money or begin to steal money.
• Bully younger brothers/sisters.
• Attempt suicide.

What to do if you are being bullied?

If you're being bullied follow this simple guide:

• Tell someone!!!
• We understand that you might be scared but sharing the problem gives you someone to talk to and someone to help you to sort it out.
• Remember: Telling someone that you are being bullied is NOT telling tales.
• Write down what is happening to you and how you feel about it in a diary.
• If you are scared, ask your parents to talk to your teacher.
• Tell your friends so that they can support you.
• DON’T fight back – you will only end up in trouble.
• DON’T blame yourself - remember no-one deserves to be bullied.

For more information about how to deal with bullying (including more detailed information about cyberbulying and homophobic bullying) visit our website: http://bullyfreezone.co.uk

v are on the hunt for amazing volunteers aged 16-25, who might be in with a chance of getting a vinspired National Award. They really need people like YOU to spread the word about the National Awards, get people nominating, and get volunteers recognised all around England.

Anyone can nominate young volunteers, you don't have to be 16-25 to put someone up for an award!

Head over to http://vinspired.com/rewards/nationalawards to nominate online and get all the info you need on the categories and the nomination process.

Nominations close on 30th September, so get nominating now!

Save A Smile Campaign!

On Monday 10th May, Bully Free Zone launched a new awareness and fund-raising campaign with the help of long-serving Manchester United defender Gary Neville.

The campaign aims to raise awareness of bullying and how young people who are victims of bullying often have nothing to smile about. The charity calls for people to share the things that make them smile via the Save a Smile website as well as look at ways they can raise much needed funding for the charity.

To find out more visit http://www.saveasmile.co.uk

Follow us on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/BFZSmile

Like us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001049611555&ref=profile&v=info#!/pages/Save-A-Smile/117052411662902?ref=ts

Live UnLtd Funding Scheme!

Last week a new exciting funding scheme was launched for young people....

Live UnLtd aims to show that young people are the solutions to the problems faced in their communities through empowering them to run their own community projects. We currently have funding available for young people between 16-18yr olds [11-18yr olds from Aug2010 onwards] to apply for awards of up to £2000 for projects that have a positive social impact on their community. In every application we look for achievability of the project; the motivation of the individual and how much social impact the idea will have on the community. Please note that anyone applying who is under 17yrs old will need an advisor to help them to run their project.

Each month, the Youth Leadership Team living across the north (aged 16-25), will decide which youth lead projects will be funded and how much money will be awarded per project. The basic criteria for an award is:

∙ Must be 16 – 18 years old [11-18yr olds from Aug2010 onwards]

∙ Must be living in England

∙ Must be applying as an individual or an informal group for a new project idea

∙ Must have a positive social impact on the community

Applications are accepted all year round and applicants will be notified with the final decision from the youth leadership team within 4 weeks.

The next deadline for applications is Wednesday 12^th May and for your information the next one will be in June.

For further information please contact me directly on 07540413911 or visit the website on www.liveunltd.com