“Be kind.”
We hear those words many times from a young age. But, with negativity easily amplified in our increasingly digital lives, it sometimes feels like somewhere along the way, we have forgotten about the simplicity and the power of kindness.
There is no doubt that kindness makes us feel good. It has a tangible impact on our wellbeing because it connects people, helps build relationships and lowers stress. Kindness has a special ability to be infectious - when someone is kind to us, we are often inspired to spread that kindness to others. That’s why this year, we’ve put kindness at the heart of Anti-Bullying Week with the launch of our #OneKindWord campaign.
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No matter how big or small the action, kindness has the power to shape our school communities and cultures. The words and actions of young people and adults alike become the culture of our schools, youth groups, sports clubs and communities.
We know that culture - more than anything - determines whether bullying thrives and blights the lives of young people, or is prevented from taking hold. This Anti-Bullying Week we are calling on educators to use the power of kindness to help them shape education environments so that learners can be free from bullying and reach their full potential.
Here are the three main ways you can get involved:
- Join the #5DaysOfKindness Challenge - have you and your classes sign the kindness pledge to commit to one kind act for every day of Anti-Bullying Week (or any week for that matter). Don’t forget to tag us, and note we are now on Instagram at @respectmescot
- Use our brand-new education resources to support discussions about anti-bullying. Designed for primary and secondary-aged learners these resources will support you to spark conversations about bullying, kindness and community.
- Share our new bunting and kindness heart templates with your young people to inspire them to get creative and produce lasting anti-bullying reminders for your classrooms and hallways,
All these resources are free to download and available here.
Anti-Bullying Week is a great opportunity to inject new energy into your anti-bullying work, and a renewed focus on kindness can support you all year round.
In every bullying situation, young people deserve to see kindness, compassion and empathy in our responses. Gone are the days where bullying was seen as a rite of passage to be survived. Bullying is not an acceptable part of growing up - it’s a violation of children’s rights and can be destructive in so many ways.
In our responses to those who have bullied others, kindness and compassion are vital, too. This is not because we are soft on bullying but because we know that harsh punitive methods of behaviour management can label young people as “bullies” and instil shame. This doesn’t change behaviour.
Yes, young people need boundaries, but they also need kind and compassionate approaches that help them see their behaviour as just that: something they have done, something they can reflect on, take responsibility for and not do again. Through kindness, educators can help young people see that that behaviour does not need to become who they are.
Katie Ferguson is director of respectme, Scotland’s national anti-bullying organisation
Anti-Bullying Week starts today, including the new respectme campaign, #OneKindWord. For more information and to download free campaign resources, click here
