Bullying is a social disease that is prevalent in most Australian schools. It is harmful to the health, well being and the academic progress of a very substantial number of students. Fortunately, actions taken by schools and by parents can significantly reduce its occurrence.
Enough is Enough is a unique not for profit organisation based in Sydney, that was founded to address violence in the community and work towards lasting solutions. The anti-violence organization has successfully undertaken a range of projects in schools across Sydney and regional New South Wales designed to reduce both the causes and the effects of bullying in school communities.
Dr Ken Rigby, an Australian expert on bullying says boys are bullied overall more frequently than girls, especially in secondary schools. Dr Rigby says primary school children of both sexes are generally bullied more often than students in secondary schools.
Bullying can result in physical hurt, psychological damage, intimidation and social isolation. Bullying can include a very wide range of behaviours, some direct as in physical hitting, some verbal as in name-calling and ridicule; some indirect as in deliberate and unfair exclusion and rumour spreading.
Bullying and harassment is never OK. Everyone has a right to feel safe, confident and respected. This includes being able to talk openly about the problem, to feel believed and listened to and to have trust in how parents and teachers will handle the situation.
Enough is Enough recently approached the Honda Foundation, with support from Tynan Motors in Sydney, seeking funding assistance of $10,000 to undertake a‘positive solutions’ anti bullying program at 27 secondary schools across the Sutherland Shire of New South Wales during 2009.
The development funding will also assist Enough is Enough with the staging of a major anti-bullying conference in Sydney focusing on practical strategies for dealing with bullying issues and violence in the community. The conference will feature a number of high profile speakers who will be filmed during their presentations and featured on a DVD education resource that will used by Enough is Enough in their schools program.
The Honda Foundation is very pleased to support a program that will assist secondary students and teachers develop the skills they need to effectively deal with bullying in the school community. The new DVD education resource will be used by schools and by many community groups for many years to come.