"I thought he was my friend..."
Approximately 1 in 4 Australian students experience bullying. It can happen anywhere – at home, with friends, in a group, on the bus or at school.
To help start the conversation about bullying this National Week of Action against Bullying and Violence, we’ve created a FREE comic book for your students!
According to yourtown Head of Client Services Brendan Bourke, too many people don’t speak up about bullying they see or hear about.
“Bystanders have immense power to intervene and effectively stop bullying yet few are aware of this and actually do,” he said.
“There are lots of reasons people don’t speak up including a fear of reprisal, being a friend of the bully, and not knowing what to do. But we can all stand up and help put a stop to bullying even if it’s supporting someone bullied by talking through a plan to manage what happens next."
Comic: When your friend is being bullied
When Hiro shares a photo of Maddy online, he thinks it's just a laugh.
Until he comes to school the next day and finds he has a target on his back...
Sound familiar? It's a story we hear all too often at Kids Helpline!
“Being an upstander is not just about looking out for others but modelling the behaviours we want our children and young people to have,” he said.
“What’s encouraging is that young people also revealed they are keen to be upstanders. They told us we need to ‘encourage people to stop being bystanders and actually do something if they witness it in action or suspect it’. It’s crucial that we teach our kids how and not just by giving them information but by leading by example.”
But it can be tough to know how to talk with children and young people about bullying and being an upstander.
That's why we've created this free comic!
What else can you do?
It can be tough knowing how to broach the topic of bullying with a young person who may be experiencing it.
Here are Kids Helpline’s 5 top tips for adults who want to talk with kids about bullying:
- Try to be open to hearing their point of view and listening rather than jumping straight to solutions
- Talk regularly about school, their friendships and anything that might be troubling them
- Ask them directly if they're being bullied and let them know you want to work together to help stop it
- Discuss your own experiences of being bullied and how you got through it
- Encourage them to call Kids Helpline and talk to a counsellor
And check out Kids Helpline’s full range of comics, tip sheets and advice at kidshelpline.com.au
Thank you to our Corporate Partners for their support
About yourtown...
We’re a community funded organisation that tackles issues like youth unemployment and mental health, and take on issues like domestic and family violence.
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