Good practices

 

1. KiVa - This is an evidence-based program that originated in Finland and has been adopted in several European countries. It aims to prevent and reduce bullying by promoting positive social interaction and improving the overall school climate.

2. Respect - This program is widely implemented in France and focuses on developing respectful behavior among students and teachers, promoting inclusion, and preventing discrimination.

3. No Blame - This program is popular in the UK and involves a structured approach to resolving bullying incidents without blaming anyone. It encourages students to identify and solve problems themselves, with the help of peers and teachers.

4. Peer Support - This program involves trained student leaders who act as peer supporters and provide emotional and practical assistance to their peers who have experienced bullying.

5. Bullying Intervention Group - This program is implemented in several countries, including the Netherlands and Germany, and involves a multidisciplinary team of professionals who work together to address bullying incidents and provide support to students

6. FearNot! is a computer program designed for children between the ages of 6 and 12. Its primary objective is to assist victims of bullying in avoiding victimization, decrease bullying incidents by reducing the number of bullies, and increase the number of defenders. The application immerses children in a virtual school environment where they witness a "physical bullying" scenario and a "relational" scenario.

7. The ComBuS initiative adopts a comprehensive school-wide approach to address bullying by involving students, teachers, parents, school leaders, and staff. Its primary objective is to enhance understanding of bullying in schools and implement effective strategies to combat it. Additionally, the program seeks to examine the underlying causes of bullying beyond the school environment. As such, a critical component of the program is the interdisciplinary collaboration and engagement of various stakeholders. Through this collaborative effort, the intervention aims to investigate the impact of bullying on children and young individuals and create tailored approaches to combat bullying.

8. ENABLE is an initiative supported by the European Union that seeks to address bullying in children's educational and leisure environments through school and center-based interventions. Its main objective is to tackle the root causes of bullying by addressing the wider culture that enables it to persist. ENABLE is grounded in the belief that if children can enhance their socio-emotional skills and develop a deeper understanding of the nature and impact of bullying, they will be less likely to engage in or tolerate bullying behavior, more likely to intervene when witnessing bullying, and less susceptible to being victimized themselves. The project also recognizes that bullying is a systemic issue that results from a variety of individual, family, school, and community-level factors, rather than an isolated problem affecting only individual victims and bullies.

9. The objective of the #DeleteCyberbullying initiative was to increase awareness about the prevalence and risks of cyberbullying and to disseminate effective strategies for identifying and preventing it within schools and families. The intervention targeted children and adolescents between the ages of 6 and 19, as well as their parents.

10. The ConRed programme is aimed at tackling the issues of cyberbullying and other emerging problems associated with the use of the internet, while also encouraging positive online behavior. Its key objectives are to enhance control over information available online, decrease the time spent on digital devices, and prevent and mitigate instances of cyberbullying.

How can European schools handle bullying?

• Create a safe and supportive environment: Schools should create an atmosphere that supports open dialogue and encourages individuals to come forward and talk about any bullying they have experienced. Schools should also provide support for students who have been bullied, such as counselling and mentoring.

• Implement a zero-tolerance policy: Schools should have a clear policy that outlines the consequences for bullying and makes it clear that bullying will not be tolerated. 

• Educate students and staff: Schools should provide education on the impacts of bullying and how to prevent it. This should include training on how to handle bullying incidents, as well as teaching students to look out for their peers and report any bullying they witness. 

• Encourage bystander intervention: Schools should create a culture where students feel comfortable intervening if they witness bullying. This could include introducing peer-mentoring programs to train students on how to intervene, or providing resources and support for students who want to stand up against bullying.

• Provide parents and guardians with resources: Schools should ensure that parents and guardians are aware of the resources available to support their children, as well as how to report any incidents of bullying.