16 February 2023 - Flipbook - Page 43
RURALYOUTH
FARMWEEK
OCTOBER 28 2021
43
Call for NI school pupils to get
creative for Anti-Bullying Week
T
HE deadline for AntiBullying Week 21’s Creative
Arts’
competition
is
fast
approaching,
and
schools are being urged to
encourage children to get in touch
with their crafty side.
The theme of this year’s event,
which runs from November 1519, is ‘One Kind Word’ which
allows children to tap into their
creative juices to illustrate positive
messages as well as experiences of
the challenges of bullying.
Art applications can include
written and illustrated pieces
as well as visual and video
submissions. Deadline for entry is
4pm on Monday, November 1. All
entries can be submitted via https://
nationalchildrensbureau.typeform.
com/to/koIMc9hF
Entries will be categorised into
age groups with a SEN entry also
open.
This year’s Anti-Bullying Week
features a busier schedule than
ever before and a brand new award
for influential local school teachers
and staff who have helped stamp
out bullying.
The event, which is in its 16th
year, will promote its ‘One Kind
Word’ theme to help others to break
the cycle of bullying.
Odd Socks Day will kick off the
week on Monday November 15, with
children encouraged to celebrate
their uniqueness by donning
mismatching socks. An Odd Socks
Day Resource Pack will also be
shared with schools.
And CBBC and CBeebies stars
Andy and the Odd Socks have
recorded a brilliant new song and
video especially for Anti-Bullying
Week 2021 called ‘One Kind Word’.
They are currently working on an
amazing video featuring students
from last year’s winning schools.
Local winners taking part include
Donaghadee
Primary
School;
Killowen Primary School, Lisburn;
and St John’s Primary School, Derry.
Anti-Bullying Week is coordinated
by the Northern Ireland AntiBullying Forum (NIABF) and
supported by Translink. NIABF is
an interagency group hosted by the
National Children’s Bureau (NCB)
and funded by the Department of
Education.
Collectively
the
latter
organisations have been creating
awareness of bullying in a bid
to encourage children to live
harmoniously
with
others,
celebrating
individuality
and
stamping out bullying.
LAUNCH: Charlene Brooks, left, chair of Northern Ireland Anti-Bullying Forum (NIABF) and Aoife Nic Colaim, right, Anti-Bullying Co-ordinator Northern Ireland
Anti-Bullying Forum (NIABF) are pictured with, from left, Eddie Hancock, Phalynn Crossley, Penny Walker and Quinn McKinley from Moira Primary School.
A host of events including the
annual Creative Arts Competition
and the new School Staff Award will
allow children and their respective
places of education to work in
unison to celebrate the week.
The School Staff competition
is open to both primary and
secondary school teachers and
staff. It allows pupils to nominate a
school staff member they feel has a
made a difference in the area of antibullying or ‘kindness’.
Speaking about this year’s AntiBullying Week, Aoife Nic Colaim,
Anti-Bullying
Co-ordinator,
Northern Ireland Anti-Bullying
Forum (NIABF) said: “We are
delighted to be launching our 16th
Anti-Bullying Week in Northern
Ireland and look forward to
spreading kindness, not just
throughout the week-long event
but in the wake of it and for years
to come.
“This year we’ve added a new
award that will celebrate those
THEME: Anti-Bullying Week, which is in its 16th year, will promote its
‘One Kind Word’ theme to help others to break the cycle of bullying.
working in the school environment
who have really supported the antibullying movement. Our first ever
School Staff Award will allow those
who have worked harder than ever
to ensure their students get the
best pastoral care, to receive the
recognition they so truly deserve.”
All nominees will receive a
certificate and one winner from
a primary school and one winner
from a secondary school will be
chosen by a panel of children and
young people during this year’s
Anti-Bullying Week. Each of the
winners will enjoy an overnight stay
with breakfast for two people at
Europa Hotel in Belfast, courtesy of
Hastings Hotels.
The closing deadline for nominees
is Wednesday November 3 and
nominations can be made at:
https://nationalchildrensbureau.
typeform.com/to/dyUb0HQ1
Charlene Brooks, chair Northern
Ireland Anti-Bullying Forum, said
this year’s event promises a jampacked schedule that will reinforce
the theme, One Kind Word. She said:
“Our manifesto for this year is
about the simple act of kindness,
from small positive statements
made from one child to another to
acting kindly so that we can ignite
a chain reaction that overpowers
negativity and instils positivity.
“With our manifesto in mind, we’re
asking children to ask if someone’s
OK. Say you’re sorry. Just say hey.
“In a world that can sometimes feel
like it’s filled with negativity, one
kind word can provide a moment
of hope. It can be a turning point. It
can change someone’s perspective.
It can change their day. It can
change the course of a conversation
and break the cycle of bullying.
“Best of all, one kind word
leads to another. Kindness fuels
kindness. So, from the playground
to Parliament, and from our phones
to our homes, together, our actions
can fire a chain reaction that powers
positivity.
“It starts with one kind word. It
starts today.”
“In a world that can
sometimes feel like it’s
filled with negativity,
one kind word can
provide a moment
of hope. It can be a
turning point. It can
change someone’s
perspective. It can
change their day.
Charlene Brooks, Northern Ireland
Anti-Bullying Forum chair
Translink is a long standing
supporter of Anti-Bullying Week
and will once again partner with
the Northern Ireland Anti-Bullying
Forum to help deliver key messages
around the theme of kindness.
Commenting on the importance
of this year’s campaign, John
Thompson, Safety and Corporate
Responsibility Manager, said:
“This year’s One Kind Word
theme really highlights how we
can all play a small part in making
positive changes in our schools and
communities through the simple
action of kindness.
“As an integral part of communities
across Northern Ireland and
an organisation which plays an
important role in school transport,
we are committed to delivering
a safe and welcoming service for
everyone. Our stations and services
provide an excellent platform to
deliver important anti-bullying
messages and ensure people know
support is out there if and when
they need it.
“At Translink we passionately
believe that as a public transport
company we have a responsibility
to improve the wellbeing for all
in Northern Ireland and beyond
and we look forward to continuing
to play our part in protecting
the safety, health and wellbeing
of young people, our employees
and the wider public right across
Northern Ireland especially at this
time when safety is so important.”
Moira Primary School Principal,
Mr Colin Ford, whose 400 pupils
and staff will take part in the
event, added: “We are delighted
to participate in this year’s AntiBullying Week as it facilitates us
with further opportunities to instil
in our children good principles
and guide them in their formative
years to share and respect the
world we live in, no matter what our
differences.
“We look forward to celebrating
this year’s theme, One Kind Word,
and being part of such an important
event.”
Anti-Bullying Week 2021 runs
from November 15 to 19. To
download a free Anti-Bullying
Week resource pack and find
out more about the Anti-Bullying
Creative Arts competition and
the School Staff award check
out www.endbullying.org.uk or
email info@niabf.org.uk