Larne Deputy Mayor Cllr Mark McKinty has shown his support to Anti-bullying week,
19-23 November 2012. Speaking to a group of students, the Ulster
Unionist representative welcomed the "opportunity to tackle the
long-standing plague of bullying".
He continued: "There are over 650 schools and youth groups across Northern Ireland on board this week exploring bullying based on difference and prejudice. The theme "Everybody is Somebody" may relate to sectarian, racist, homophobic, or disablist bullying. Any difference, whether actual or perceived, often remains unexplained and can unfortunately lead to many forms of bullying."
"It is wrong to attack or oppress someone because they think, act or believe differently. Difference should be embraced, not used as a weapon."
Anti-Bullying Week is co-ordinated by the Northern Ireland Anti-Bullying
Forum (NIABF) and supported by Translink. Lee Kane, NIABF’s Regional Anti-Bullying Co-ordinator, explains the
opportunity that Anti-Bullying Week provides for teachers, youth workers
and parents to talk to young people about respecting difference and to
challenge bullying: “The interest from schools, youth groups and parents in this year’s
Anti-Bullying Week shows how important the issue of bullying is in our
society and reaffirms our commitment to educate young people about
diversity. By challenging negative stereotypes and reinforcing
anti-bullying messages we can all emphasise that such behaviour is
unacceptable. Children and young people’s participation is critical to
implementing effective anti-bullying strategies.”
Ulster Unionist spokesperson for Children and Young People Sandra Overend MLA indicated her particular interest in internet safety and child protection. “We must work hard to drive bullying out of our schools, our homes and beyond. It is important to remember that bullying is no longer confined to the playground, but is also increasingly being found on the internet, and via instant messaging. Cyber bullying is on the rise as more and more children come into possession of mobile phones, electronic devices and laptops with which they can access Facebook and other social media, often anonymously."
Concluding, Cllr Mark McKinty highlighted how bullying has adapted over time: "Bullying is a severe problem for young people: this is a constant battle for our schools, youth groups, and parents, with statistics showing around 39% of P6 children having experienced some form of bullying. I fully endorse the work NIABF are carrying out, and the work and effort that each individual school or youth organisation puts in to fighting this problem. Cyber bullying is a particular concern of mine since it infiltrates the homes and private lives of young people, offering no form of escape. We cannot divorce the problem of bullying from the worrying levels of youth suicide, and I pledge to continue to work with local schools, youth groups and voluntary groups to lobby government for funding and services to tackle bullying in all its forms".
He continued: "There are over 650 schools and youth groups across Northern Ireland on board this week exploring bullying based on difference and prejudice. The theme "Everybody is Somebody" may relate to sectarian, racist, homophobic, or disablist bullying. Any difference, whether actual or perceived, often remains unexplained and can unfortunately lead to many forms of bullying."
"It is wrong to attack or oppress someone because they think, act or believe differently. Difference should be embraced, not used as a weapon."
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| Photo courtesy of NIABF |
Ulster Unionist spokesperson for Children and Young People Sandra Overend MLA indicated her particular interest in internet safety and child protection. “We must work hard to drive bullying out of our schools, our homes and beyond. It is important to remember that bullying is no longer confined to the playground, but is also increasingly being found on the internet, and via instant messaging. Cyber bullying is on the rise as more and more children come into possession of mobile phones, electronic devices and laptops with which they can access Facebook and other social media, often anonymously."
Concluding, Cllr Mark McKinty highlighted how bullying has adapted over time: "Bullying is a severe problem for young people: this is a constant battle for our schools, youth groups, and parents, with statistics showing around 39% of P6 children having experienced some form of bullying. I fully endorse the work NIABF are carrying out, and the work and effort that each individual school or youth organisation puts in to fighting this problem. Cyber bullying is a particular concern of mine since it infiltrates the homes and private lives of young people, offering no form of escape. We cannot divorce the problem of bullying from the worrying levels of youth suicide, and I pledge to continue to work with local schools, youth groups and voluntary groups to lobby government for funding and services to tackle bullying in all its forms".
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