These are my notes from the Links Inc. National Trends and Services Committee workshop titled, "Bullying Trash Talking: It’s No Joke." It was held on Friday, June 29, 2012, during the national Links convention.
Pilot chapters have been working a year to develop anti-bullying programs. Wendy D. Thomas, director of National Trends and Services, and Link Denise Cooper, Southern Area National Trends Chair, discussed the following:
Rationale: All children are possible targets of bullying. Many children suffer in silence. Parents might also feel victimized.
Overview of the National Trends and Services Committee Program toolkit:
- A Pre-test is used to find out what participants already know.
- A posttest is used to find out what participants learned.
- Educators, psychologists and professors discuss the issue of bullying, definitions, implications and solutions. Cyber bullying – email, tweets and Facebook are almost worse than bullying in person. They can be forwarded.
- Foster an open environment to encourage participants to share their experiences
The goal is to get youth to take a stand. They must be empowered to stop bullying:
- 1st session – inform – provide basic definitions and information
- 2nd session – interactive, hands-on activities, role playing
- 3rd session – develop contracts, skits and public service announcements to show what they learned. Encourage participants to go out and help others.
Link Shari Lamb, Western Area NTS chair shared the following program expectations:
- Open to all chapters
- 2-year commitment
- select a target group
- self fund
- look for other funding resources
- develop a PSA
- integrate all five facets
- seek collaborative partners and oversee their involvement
Participants will lean
- definition of bullying
- bullying behaviors
- what it is versus what it is to be bullied
- how to handle bullying
Chapters may integrate the Links initiative into current programs or execute it separately. Other ideas:
- Bully police
- T-shirts
- Rubber bracelets
- Focus groups to see if students feel safer
Link Jocelyn Freeman, Alameda Contra Costa (CA
- Created a community of caring
- Want to get Links bullying program meshed into the curriculum
- Work to be proactive rather than reactive
- You don’t just walk away, you report it to someone.
- Develop a pledge – each student signs
- Promise not to be a bully or a bystander
Link Nona Jones, Gainesville, FL
- Q&A is the most powerful part of program – you want students to let down their guard.
- Make sure parents are part of the process. They have to understand the seriousness of bullying.
- Parent is the first line of defense
Link Lisa Williams, Greenville (SC) program
Obstacles:
- Manpower – they only have 20 active members
- Obtaining parental consent was a challenge
- Worked with after-school program
- Some parents used the program as a babysitter
Link Jan Brown-Thompson – Louisville (KY)
- T-shirts with a promise that students can sign
Link Cheryl Gray Evans, New Orleans (LA) Chapter
- Think about your audience
- Difficult for this chapter because district only let them work with bullies. Participants were unruly.
- Work with both bullies and victims
- Encourage teacher and parent support
- Look at state law. Make sure school district has adopted an anti-bullying police – use it as a model to develop program
Link Janice Garnett, Omaha (NE)
- Worked with after-school program
- PSA produced by students
- Average bullying behavior lasts only 30 seconds
- Teachers intervene in one out of 25 episodes
- 35% of students have been threatened online
- 58% have not told an adult
Link Sherilynn Johnson Kimble, Philadelphia (PA) Chapter
- Worked with fifth graders over a two-year period
- Interactivity – incorporated scenarios and plays
- African American males dressed in suits
- Three sessions
- Students also saw adults as bullies
Next Steps – Link Alma Stokes, Co-director, NTS
- Visit the Links website to get a copy of the toolkit
- Should be available by Sept. 1
