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Let’s celebrate uniqueness in November’s Anti-Bullying Week.

In the school environment, where peer pressure and the desire to be popular still holds fast, education remains as important as ever in developing young people’s social and emotional awareness. This year’s Anti-Bullying Week, which takes place from 13-17 November looks at a very current and poignant topic; diversity. Following the theme ‘All Different, All Equal,’ the week will focus on why our individual human traits should be recognised as a valuable part of who we are.

The week of activities is organised by the Anti-Bullying Alliance, which was founded in 2002 by the NSPCC and the National Children’s Bureau. Over the years, the organisation has been bolstered by the support of a number of core and associate members who work collaboratively to raise awareness about the impact of bullying. Their aim is to create safer environments in which children and young people can live, grow, play and learn.

2017 Theme
This year, the 'All Different, All Equal' theme looks at:

• How to empower children and young people to celebrate what makes them, and others, unique
  
• Helping children and young people understand how important it is that every child feels valued and included in school and able to be themselves without fear of bullying
  
• Encouraging parents and carers to work with their school and talk to their children about bullying, difference and equality
  
• Enabling teachers and other children’s workforce professionals to celebrate what makes us ‘all different, all equal’ and celebrate difference and equality, encouraging them to take individual and collective action to prevent bullying and create safe environments where children can be themselves.

How to Get Involved
The Anti-Bullying Alliance have a number of suggested ways in which you can get involved, including:

• Official Merchandise: Schools can purchase official Anti-Bullying Week 2017 merchandise via their online shop. Proceeds go to funding Anti-Bullying Week next year.
  
• Odd Socks Day: This is an opportunity for children to express themselves and appreciate individuality. But most importantly, Odd Socks Day is designed to be fun!
  
• Become a Supported: Sign up as an Anti-Bullying Week supporter and receive a certificate to display in your school/organisation. Join the anti-bullying movement and let people know what you're doing for #antibullyingweek.
  
• Get Involved Online: Download the pack to find template tweets, facebooks, selfie ideas and many many more things you can do to get involved in Anti-Bullying Week and Odd Socks Day for Anti-Bullying Week. You can also register for the Thunderclap

Full details can be found at www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk.

Download your anti-bullying assembly
Teaching Resources Support members can download a selection of topical resources including an anti-bullying assembly – log into your member dashboard to download or register for FREE membership for access.

Bullying in schools has always been a problem, but there’s a growing concern that it may be worsening.

Research released by TES on 14th September revealed that from over 1000 secondary school teachers interviewed, over half thought that bullying was a problem in their school, with more than a fifth saying that bullying in their school was on the increase. Rather more shockingly, 40 per cent declared they knew of pupils too scared to attend school because of it.

Teachers also felt they weren’t able combat the problem alone, with an urgent need for it to be tackled on many fronts: from giving children the means and empowerment to report bullying to encouraging parents to take a closer interest in their children’s day-to-day activities.

Bullying Awareness Campaigns

To help schools engage pupils (and staff) on the topic of bullying, here are some of the bullying campaigns and awareness activities taking place in October and November that will help highlight the issues and also provide support.

Bullying Prevention Month
This month is the Cybersmile Foundation's, Bulling Prevention Month. The campaign runs from October 1st until October 31st and will raise awareness of cyberbullying, while fundraising activities will help the Cybersmile Foundation continue their work in providing education and support to vulnerable internet users around the world.

Throughout the month of October, they will be announcing a number of exciting activities including an amazing giveaway, the unveiling of 4 brand new exclusive Positive Playlists from a mixture of Ambassadors and celebrities, influencer interviews and much more!

Find out more at www.cybersmile.org

Plan ahead for Anti-Bullying Week
The week of activities which will be held in November is organised by the Anti-Bullying Alliance, which was founded in 2002 by the NSPCC and the National Children’s Bureau. Over the years, the organisation has been bolstered by the support of a number of core and associate members who work collaboratively to raise awareness about the impact of bullying. Their aim is to create safer environments in which children and young people can live, grow, play and learn.

Wear Blue for Bullying Day
The Wear Blue day is in recognition of all those who have suffered from bullying or are experiencing this to come together and stand up to bullying.

Bullying UK will be running their successful Wear Blue Day for the third year on 10 November 2017 and are asking school, workplaces and individuals to wear blue and donate to Bullying UK.

For more information, register you interest here.

A selection of bullying teaching resources are available across TRS Premium and Premium Plus membership packages. Find out more or call the membership team on 0113 360 9842.

Pupil Voice Week 2017 will be celebrated by schools both nationally and internationally with the theme ‘It’s Your Voice’.

What is Pupil Voice Week?
Coordinated by tootoot, Pupil Voice Week is designed to encourage primary and secondary schools to raise awareness of key issues, such as bullying, cyberbullying, racism, mental health and e-safety issues, that children and young people may face on a daily basis.

This year the theme is ‘It’s Your Voice’. We aim to celebrate the diversity and individuality of The Pupil Voice, encouraging pupils to use their voice be themselves and create positivity for those around them.

Pupil Voice Week will also have a focus on pupils' mental health, ensuring that they are encouraged to use their voice to speak-up about their mental health and wellbeing.

Pupil Voice Week calls upon pupils, parents, carers, teachers, social workers, councils, companies and policy makers, to join together and explore ways that they can empower pupils, giving them the knowledge and tools they need to feel confident to use their voice.

Why is it important?
Within the past year 1.5 million children and young people have been bullied.

Children and young people can be bullied for all manner of reasons from appearance and accents to gender and race. And although not their fault, it can still have a huge impact on their self-confidence, mental health and wellbeing.

As much as 36% of children and young people who have been bullied said it made them feel depressed and at least half of suicides amongst young people are related to bullying,

This is why we want to celebrate the pupil voice, the fact that’s it’s good to be different, and that a pupil’s voice is the most important part of them.

When is Pupil Voice Week?
Pupil Voice Week is the 25th – 29th September 2017 with activities running throughout the week in schools, organisations and online.

Celebrating Your Voice – Our Call to Action!
We want Pupil Voice Week 2017 to empower pupils, helping them to understand that their differences are to be celebrated.

With this in mind we’re challenging our staff, partners (and their staff!), and schools to share with us what makes them unique! All you need to do is print-out the speech-bubble task and tell us what makes your voice unique. Is it your Confidence? Kindness? Friendliness? We can’t wait to see. Take a picture, boomerang or video of you and your speech-bubble and share with us on social media by using #PupilVoiceWeek and tagging @tootootofficial. You can download a blank speech bubble here

How else can we get involved?
There are a range of ways you can support with Pupil Voice Week:

Use the resources on pupilvoiceweek.co.uk to help inspire and shape your own campaign.

Speak to your schools and partner organisations, let them know about Pupil Voice Week and the ways that they can get involved.

Write a blog raising awareness of the importance for pupils to know it’s their voice and it’s good to be unique! – make sure you send it to us so we can share it too!

Send a newsletter to your key audience groups, encouraging them to participate in Pupil Voice Week.

Contact local press and key decision makers, speak to them about the importance of raising awareness with pupils nationally, and ask them to help promote the week.

Join the conversation on social media during the lead-up to, and throughout the week, using the hashtag #PupilVoiceWeek and tag @tootootofficial.

Send us pictures or videos of what you get up to, to pupilvoiceweek@tootoot.co.uk, and we’ll feature them across our social media – you might even make it into next year’s video!

Speak to your schools and partner organisations, let them know about Pupil Voice Week and the ways that they can get involved.

Need some help getting started?
We have a range of free resources to help you kick-start your campaign, you can find them at pupilvoiceweek.co.uk. As well as those, feel free to use any of the facts and figures below to help shape your Pupil Voice Week campaign, both on and offline.

Within the past year 1.5 million children and young people have experienced bullying (Ditch the Label).

83% of young people say that bullying has a negative impact on their self-esteem (Ditch the Label).

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15-29 year olds (World Health Organisation)

64% of children who were bullied did not report it (Petrosina et al, 2010)

3 in 5 young people say that homophobic bullying has a direct impact on their school work and it made straight A students want to leave education entirely (Stonewall).

For more information visit pupilvoiceweek.co.uk