Published on: November 26, 2024
Anti Bullying Week was earlier this month, running from Monday 11th November to Friday 15th, with the theme this year being “Choose Respect”
Bullying is an important issue that affects children and young people throughout their time at school and beyond. Because the wellbeing of the children and young people of Derby and Derbyshire is Changing Lives’ top priority, they observed this important week in a number of ways.
Changing Lives team members travelled around Derbyshire giving talks to schools about bullying and respect, highlighting the importance of choosing the latter when interacting with their peers.
Shelton Infant and Nursery School and Allenton Community Primary school were a couple of schools the Changing Lives teams dropped into to deliver school assemblies on for Anti Bullying Week. These assemblies went into detail about what bullying is, and the effects it has on others. They also drew from the 2024 theme of “Choose Respect”, and explored ways to have a positive impact through respect.
The theme of Choose Respect expanded the focus of Anti Bullying Week. Even though the negative impacts of bullying were still an important talking point this year, “Choose Respect” gave real, positive alternatives to the ways children and young people could behave with each other, and showed why that was so important.
Building on these themes, the Noel Baker team visited Primary schools around Derby, delivering the workshops about what it means to be a good friend. They visited Year 2 at Chellaston Infant School, Year 2 at Wyndham Spencer Academy and Year 1 at Alvaston Infant school with a workshop centred on Wilba the Worry Monster who hadn’t learned to be a good friend yet. The children acted out scenes between Wilba and his friends to show him how he can respond with kindness and respect.
Another key part of Anti Bullying Week was Odd Socks Day, which took place on Tuesday 12th. On this day, people were invited to wear odd socks to raise awareness of bullying, and share the differences that make everyone special and unique.
Many of our talks were during odd socks day, and Changing Lives staff at schools and in the office wore odd socks to celebrate!
The themes and messages of Anti Bullying week were explored in a social media campaign throughout the week. Daily posts were made explaining what bullying was, how children and young people could choose respect instead, and what they can do if they found themselves the victims of bullying. Changing Lives compiled the messages from these posts into a handy guide to bullying and respect that can be found here.
Anti Bullying Week might be over, but that doesn’t mean that Changing Lives aren’t focused on preventing bullying, and helping children and young people who are struggling with it. Most of all, they will still choose respect every day.
awareness day , bullying , Derby and Derbyshire Mental Health Support , Event , wellbeing , whole school approach