Anti-bullying week
Anti-Bullying Week is an annual UK event which aims to raise awareness of bullying of children and young people, in schools and elsewhere, and to highlight ways of preventing and responding to it. Anti-Bullying Week is organised by the Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA) in England, which is made up of about sixty member organizations. In Northern Ireland Anti-Bullying Week is coordinated by the Northern Ireland Anti-Bullying Forum (NIABF), made up of 25 member organisation from the voluntary and statutory sectors.
Recent Anti-Bullying Weeks in England have been:
First Anti-Bullying Week - 22 to 26 November 2004 (included launch of the 'stand up for us' guidance for primary schools and secondary schools).
Second Anti-Bullying Week - 21 to 25 November 2005 (launched at Westminster Central Hall, London). The event was co-hosted by the Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA), Childline, and the Diana Memorial Award.
Third Anti-Bullying Week - 20-24 November 2006. The theme was the Bystander ('See it, Stop it, Get help')
Fourth Anti-Bullying Week - 19-23 November 2007. The theme was Bullying in the Community ('Safer Together, Safer Wherever')
Fifth Anti-Bullying Week - 17-21 November 2008. The theme was Difference and Diversity ('Being Different, Belonging Together')
Anti-Bullying Week 2009 (16-20 November) will focus on Cyberbullying, with the slogan 'Stay Safe in Cyberspace'
The theme for the seventh year (22-26 November 2010) was 'Taking Action Together'
The eighth annual event will take place between Monday 14 November and 18 November 2011, and this year the theme is 'Stop and think – words can hurt'
In Northern Ireland the annual campaign is run during the same week, but under a different theme. Recent Anti-Bullying Week campaigns in Northern Ireland are:
ABW05 - 21-25 November 2005 - Launch of NIABF
ABW06 - 20-24 November 2006 - 'Don't Just Stand There' - the role of the bystander
ABW07 - 19-23 November 2007 - Dual theme - 'Bullying due to race, faith and culture' & 'Cyber Bullying'
ABW08 - 17-21 November 2008 - 'Tackling the fear of being bullied in a new school'
ABW09 - 16-20 November 2009 - 'Bullying on the way to and from school'
ABW10 - 15-19 November 2010 - 'Where the bullying is...and how we can stop it' - bullying hotspots in school
ABW11 - 14-18 November 2011 - 'End Cyber Bullying'
ABW12 - 19-23 November 2012 - 'Everybody is Somebody' - bullying motivated by difference and prejudice
The 2013 Anti-Bullying Week theme for Northern Ireland will be announced in May 2013.
