Anti-Bullying Resources
It's a sad part of human nature, but it seems there will always be people who pick on or tease those in a lesser position to fight back. Whilst it may seem like there is nothing that can be done, there are people out there who are always looking to help in the fight against bullying.
Or maybe you're seeing things from the other side. Are you the one who is doing the bullying? Try and think about why you're behaving that way. Are you having problems in some area of your life that means you're taking it out on others?
There are lots of organisations that can help you with information on how to deal with people who bully. They can also help if you're bullying others.
The resources below will help to point you in the right direction.
Need2Know
Need2Know is an excellent site, full of information for young people like yourself. From work and relationships, to choosing a career path, you will be able to find advice for anything you are looking for.
In the bullying section of the site, there are many informative case studies concerning people who have experienced bullying, and how they dealt with it. This knowledge is valuable when trying to tackle bullying yourself, and lets you know you are not alone.
Other areas feature interesting topics such as the effects of bad language in schools, and looking at cyberbullying, which is more and more common as increasing numbers of young people have access to mobile phones and computers.
Bullying UK
Bullying UK is the new name for the award-winning charity Bullying Online. In the last 8 years the charity's website has risen to become one of the leading online resources for anti-bullying information.
The charity's work has expanded over the years and apart from giving practical information and advice to young people and their parents through the website and by email, it includes work with schools, youth organisations, police forces and health trusts, running workshops and speaking at conferences.
The site has won a number of media awards including the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Award 2005 among others, and is an excellently run site, full of information for parents, teachers and pupils. If you interested in knowing more about issues surrounding bullying, this is a great site to learn from.
Childline
Childline is the UK's free, 24-hour helpline for children in distress or danger. Trained volunteer counsellors comfort, advise and protect children and young people who may feel they have nowhere else to turn.
Children call ChildLine about a wide range of problems, but the most common problems are abuse (both sexual and physical), bullying, serious family tensions, worries about friends' welfare and teenage pregnancy.
There are problem pages, fundraising ideas, true stories from the eyes of young people, and even an 'Agony Uncle' to answer some of the questions that boys and young men commonly ask.
Anti-Bullying Network
The Anti-Bullying Network tells the story of eight different people - all with different interests and backgrounds - and highlights their experiences of bullying.
In their stories, there are links that can lead to anything from videos to letters written in by people who can relate to the things being mentioned. Trained advisors give solutions to problems, treating everyone as equal and not judging anyone.
An interesting website, as it lets us see things from a different point of view and see how other people deal with the problems bullying can cause.
Think U Know?
Think U Know how to stay safe when surfing sites such as MySpace and Facebook? It is amazing how many people are unaware of simple things that can be done to remain safe online.
This site can give you the latest information on the sites you like to visit, mobiles and new technology. Find out what's good, what's not and what you can do about it.
Most importantly, there's also a place which anyone can use to report if they feel uncomfortable or worried about someone they are chatting to online.
Even if you think you know how to remain safe when using the internet, visit this website and you may be surprised how much you can learn.
NOTE: The Mentoring and Befriending Foundation cannot take any responsibility for content on these external pages.
