A new anti-bullying service
aimed at helping organisations that work with children and young people
to tackle bullying outside of the classroom was launched today by
Education Minister Hugh Henry.
Respectme, which will receive
funding of £1.75m over five years, will launch a toolkit to help
organisations develop anti-bullying policies, provide training to help
organisations implement their policies, carry out a national assessment
of anti-bullying policies and help organisations to share best practice
examples and anti-bullying resources.
Henry, who launched Respectme in
Glasgow today, said the programme recognises that bullying doesn’t just
happen in schools, so organisations working with young people need to
develop a variety of solutions for tackling the problem. He said:
"Bullying is always unacceptable - making some young people's lives a
misery - and must be tackled wherever, and whenever, it arises.
"Bullies don't respect
boundaries and that's why we have extended our anti-bullying services
to help all organisations, not just schools, work together to stamp it
out.
"Bullying is actually more
likely to take place outwith the classroom - perhaps on the school bus
or at the youth club - and today's youngsters also have the potential
problems of cyber and text bullying to contend with.
"Respectme will help all those
working with children to develop solutions to deal with these
situations, ensuring our youngsters get the support and help they need,
when they need it."
Brian Donnelly, director of
Respectme, added: "It's every child's right not to be bullied and
Respectme's vision is of a society where children can live free from
bullying and harassment.
"We will work with people from a
wide variety of backgrounds who come into contact with children and
young people, to give them the confidence and competence to deal with
children who are being bullied and those who are bullying others."
No one has commented on this article.
Related news items:
|
Holyrood news 
