Youth Committee supporting anti-bullying campaign - 22/06/2012Wanganui District Council Youth Committee Chair Cr Jack Bullock says his committee is investigating whether an anti-bullying campaign could be introduced to local schools.
“The issue of bullying in Wanganui was raised through the School Leaders Network and the Youth Committee has picked it up as an important issue where positive changes for Wanganui youth could be made,” Cr Bullock said.
“Wanganui High School has implemented the ‘ABC’ initiative, which stands for ‘anti-bullying campaign’, and it seems to be working successfully at the school. The Youth Committee is now looking at how ABC could be rolled out to other secondary schools, and possibly primary and intermediate schools as well.”
The ABC initiative promotes the consistent message that bullying is not ok. Awareness is promoted through:
- A short film produced by local youth ‘Couch Kumeras’, with the YouTube link available on websites and Facebook
- A cellphone number for youth victims or perpetrators of bullying to contact a member of the ABC group for support
- Pink wristbands branded with ‘Anti Bullying Campaign’
- Music events, with ABC announcements, during school lunchbreaks.
“A sub-group of the Youth Committee and School Leaders Network is now working on a project plan to see how the ABC initiative could be introduced into other local schools, what the costs would be and how it would be monitored,” Cr Bullock said.
“ABC has been well-received at Wanganui High School and is creating a positive atmosphere. It would be fantastic if we could achieve the same result for all of our schools.”
The project plan, with funding options, will be brought back to the Youth Committee for consideration. | 
