Rationale
Bullying is recognised as a problem in New Zealand, especially amongst school age children. Most adults will be able to recall times when they, or someone they knew, were bullied. And of course bullying is not confined to school years; many adults bully or are bullied in homes, workplaces and during social interactions, which does not present a good role model for children.

So what makes some people good targets for someone who wants to frighten or coerce them? What make some people want to use strength or power in inappropriate ways? How can both the victim and the bully be encouraged to change their behaviour so that bullying can be stopped?

These are questions that this resource attempts to address. It recognises that such changes wonąt come about easily and that a number of approaches will be needed. Therefore material has been prepared for students to work through in the classroom; for teachers to use to create environments where bullying wonąt flourish; and for parents and caregivers to use to help their children develop positive social interactions.

Aim
Students, parents, caregivers and teachers will recognise that bullying is unacceptable behaviour in both the school and wider community; they will develop skills and strategies to stop bullying and replace it with acceptable behaviour.

Objectives

• to give victims the skills necessary to choose options to overcome bullying and to put them into practice.
• to enable students, parents, caregivers and teachers to define bullying and to recognise why some people bully and why others condone or support it.
• to enable students, parents, caregivers and teachers to recognise what behaviour makes someone a potential victim and how this can be overcome.
• to encourage bullies to acknowledge their bullying behaviour and to consider alternative ways of behaving which would allow them to enjoy positive social interactions.
• to provide teachers, parents and caregivers with ideas and options so that they can help and support young people who may be victims.
• to provide teachers, parents and caregivers with ideas and options so they can help the bully adopt more socially acceptable behaviour.
• to give adults ideas on ways of creating an environment where there is no payoff for bullying.

A range of teaching activities are provided for use before, during and after the video "Kia Kaha" is shown. Teachers should choose activities that are appropriate to the age, experience and abilities of the students, avoiding repetition in subsequent years.

Place in the Curriculum
The bullying resource could be used within the Health or Social Studies curriculums.