National Bullying Prevention Month

National Bullying Prevention Month

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October is National Bullying Prevention Month

National Bullying Prevention Month is a campaign in the United States founded in 2006 by PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center. The campaign is held during the month of October and unites communities nationwide to educate and raise awareness of bullying prevention.

What is Bullying?

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose. Bullying can also take place through technology, known as cyberbullying. Examples of cyberbullying include mean text messages or emails, rumors sent by email or posted on social networking sites, and embarrassing pictures, videos, websites, or fake profiles.
National Bullying Prevention Month is an opportunity to:
  • Encourage the nation to take action at the local level to create safe and supportive schools
  • Offer information and education about how everyone can prevent bullying
  • Provide a platform to hold school and community events
  • Share information about the issue through news media, social media, videos, and print publications
  • Speak with education and public policy leaders about their roles in bullying prevention
  • Promote dialogue between educators, parents, and students on their roles in addressing and preventing bullying
  • Invite organizations to share information about their bullying prevention resources
  • Inspire everyone to unite for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion
  • Help create a world without bullying

Students: Practice empathy

Reach out to new classmates this month — especially those who appear to be struggling. Report bullying when you see it and don’t let others suffer in silence.

Mentoring Youth Help Prevent Bullying

Mentors can provide a safe space

Mentoring youth can let them know they are not alone. Mentors can demonstrate how to have positive relationships and recognize negative behavior, like bullying. They can also help youth find constructive and non-violent ways to interact with their peers, deal with stress, and handle conflict. Mentors can create physically and emotionally safe environments for youth by teaching and modeling kindness, empathy, and positive relationships. Something as simple as listening can help someone affected by bullying.

Mentors can help prevent bullying

Mentoring youth in an area of shared interest, such as arts or sports, provides opportunities for building positive relationships between the youth and the mentor. Coaches can promote an equal team atmosphere which focuses on responsibility, inclusion, team work, and sportsmanship.

Resources