BEAT BULLYING!!

Unfortunutely bullying of all kinds is around in all aspects of our working and social life, but when it becomes a regular occurance especially at school or college it can effect the bullied badly as well as their school work. Victims may become shunned from their peer group, tagged a geek or a nobody, whatever the method bullyers use it has to be prevented or reduced. Bullying will never go way but if there are schemes such as this then it can make school-life a whole lot better by offering support and advise and enabling the victims to reach their potential. All schools have some sort of bullying so they all must be supported.

The Liberal Democrats have recently signed up to the Beat Bullying campaign - "4 quid a kid", this campagin is promoting that £4 a child is all that is needed to get proven anti-bullying schemes into every school in the U.K!
The Lib Dem educational and skills select committee published a daming report on the Governments record so far on bullying. The committee addressd all types of bullying, from physical, psychological, racist and faith based bullying. Homophobic bullying was focused on too, with faith schools also having to protect their pupils from such bullying. We feel that this is a very encouraging sign to see such campaigns including homophobic cases, as in the past it has been seen to be overshadowed and ignored.
What this campaign hopes to achieve if accepted by the Government is too

• Increase in the reporting of bullying,
• Decrease in truancy,
• Anti-bullying training introduced in all teacher training programmes,
• Developing support networks to sustain awareness in schools,
• Specific proven intervention and re-educational programmes for young people who bully,

Not only would this scheme aid the victims of bullying but also the bullyers, who are usually victims themselves of other serious problems. This scheme dosen't just focus in on the pupils of the schools but also the parents, teachers and governors, so it covers the entire educational spectrum, effecting all areas.

We think this is a brillaint idea and one that needs serious consideration from the Government. To ensure this campiagn is acknowledged please sign the petition through the website below: www.beatbullying.org/4quidakid/