This Anti-Bullying Week, let’s make a noise about bullying! 

Anti-Bullying Week is here! Having partnered with Kidscape this year, SUSO has funded anti-bullying workshops in secondary schools across the UK, as well as working with Kidscape to raise awareness of bullying. From the 13th – 17th November, schools across the country will be making a noise about bullying. Anti-Bullying Week is coordinated in England and Wales by the Anti-Bullying Alliance. Last November, 80% of schools marked the week, reaching over 7.5 million children and young people. That’s a big impact! 

Make A Noise About Bullying

After consulting with children up and down the country, “Make A Noise About Bullying” was chosen by the Anti-Bullying Alliance as the theme for this year. Too often, we’re silent when we see bullying take place, silent about the hurt bullying causes, and silent when bullying is dismissed as ‘just banter’.  

It doesn’t have to be this way. Of course, we won’t like everyone, and we don’t always agree, but we can choose respect and unity. This Anti-Bullying Week, let’s come together to have discussions about what bullying means to us, how banter can turn into something more hurtful, and what we can do to stop bullying. Let’s make a noise about bullying! 

Friendship Friday

As part of Anti-Bullying Week, Kidscape also celebrates Friendship Friday each year as an opportunity to celebrate friendship and promote positive relationships. This year, Friendship Friday takes place on the 17th of November. It’s a chance for everyone – in school, at home, in the community or online – to celebrate healthy friendships. This year’s theme for Friendship Friday is “StandTogether”. With this theme, we aim to celebrate the essence of true friendship – the courage required to raise your voice to protect and support those we care about. It emphasises the power that comes from knowing you have a friend who will stand by you, no matter the circumstances. This Friendship Friday, we want to encourage everyone to reflect on what it truly means to be a friend who has someone’s back and to recognise and appreciate those who stand by us in times of need.  

Stand Together

With the theme “StandTogether”, Friendship Friday aims to empower young people to be advocates and make a noise for their friends, to be the kind of friend who takes a stand when it matters most. It celebrates the courage and strength that comes from having a friend who will stand up for you and encourages everyone to be that source of support for others. Together, we can create a world where everyone feels protected, valued, and uplifted by their friends.

Of course, you don’t have to wait until Friendship Friday to show your friends how much they mean to you! We have put together some ideas to help you reach out to your friends to show you care. Send an e-card to show your friends you’re thinking of them, or get some inspiration from our Reach Out pack. It’s full of activities and ideas, whether you want to show some love to close friends or reach out to someone you haven’t seen in a while.   

From all of us at Kidscape, happy Anti-Bullying Week!