A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
There’s a “whole lot of sensitivity” in schools about what teachers should and shouldn’t teach when it comes to the nitty-gritty of sex education, but according to Dr Melissa Kang, one thing is clear: real life examples are a gateway to discussion. Indeed the #MeToo movement is more than just a hashtag – it’s an [...]
Children and young people under 25 who are victims of cyberbullying are more than twice as likely to self-harm and enact suicidal behavior, according to a new study. The research also suggests that it is not just the victims of cyberbullying that are more vulnerable to suicidal behaviours, but the perpetrators themselves are at higher [...]
Humans are the most social species on the planet. Most of us spend most of our lives working, eating, sleeping, and playing in groups that range in size from two people all the way up to nations and humanity as a whole. Woven through the tapestry of our relationships are several major threads. One of these [...]
"Your kids are living in a world that you are not invited to be part of. And they know how to keep you out." That's the stark warning one teacher has issued to parents about their teens' use of social media, urging them to "wake up". Skipper Coates, from Pleasant Grove, Utah, asked her 14 [...]
The Prime Minister's invitation to principals to tackle bullying is welcome on this National Day of Action against Violence and Bullying. "Bullying and violence has no place in Australia," Mr Turnbull said when announcing extra funding to schools to tackle the problem. His interest is welcome. It may be an inconvenient truth, but bullying is [...]
When Northern Territory teenager Dolly Everett tragically took her own life in January after being mercilessly bullied online, the nation was rocked to its core. Dolly’s death may have provided more questions than answers, but it became a topic of public discussion. A 2016 report by mental health organisation Orygen found that suicide rates among [...]
Bullying transcends childish acts such as teasing, rough housing or joking around. It can be a dangerous activity with devastating physical and psychological effects. It’s a prominent risk factor for substance abuse and addiction, but the person being bullied isn’t the only one at risk. We’re born into a world that rewards winners, but some [...]
A wildly popular anonymous messaging app has been removed from the Apple and Google stores after accusations that it has been facilitating bullying. But the company's chief executive denies the claims and says the app isn't meant to be used by younger teens. Katrina Collins was appalled by the anonymous messages her 13-year-old daughter was [...]
An anonymous website where children can report harmful behaviour is uncovering self-harm clubs, drug dealing, bullying and illegal activity at an increasing rate. Former Sunshine Coast teacher Rachel Downie started Stymie several years ago to provide a safe space for bystander children to speak up without fear. After a school signs up to the program, students can [...]
Social trends do not move in straight lines. They are somewhat like pendulums; when they go too far in one direction, gravity pulls them back in the other. The reverse swing has been bound to occur with antibullyism (which I consider a more fitting term for the “anti-bullying movement”). I see it already beginning and [...]
