The vision of the Bullying Prevention Advisory Group is to improve student wellbeing and achievement by supporting schools to create safe and positive environments that reduce bullying.
We are committed to taking a stand against bullying in our schools. Bullying behaviour harms children and young people and contributes to a range of poor educational and life outcomes. Bullying is a serious issue that all schools face.
Our aim in writing the first edition of Bullying prevention and response: A guide for schools was to provide practical information for schools to support effective prevention and management of bullying behaviour. We have updated the guide and added new content in response to suggestions from schools. “What’s new?” (on page 9) lists the key changes in the 2015 edition.
The Secondary Principals' Association of New Zealand symposium in March 2013 provided the impetus for this work by highlighting the need for additional guidance for schools on bullying. Following this symposium, the Secretary for Education, Peter Hughes, convened a series of meetings to begin collaborative, effective cross-sector work to address bullying in New Zealand schools.
Our agencies and organisations bring a range of perspectives to the issue of bullying. We share the strongly-held view that bullying behaviour of any kind is not acceptable and that combined action is needed to reduce the incidence of bullying in our schools. To successfully address bullying, Boards of Trustees, school leadership and staff, students and their families and whānau all need to work together. It is in this same spirit of collaboration that we have come together to develop this guide.
School Boards of Trustees are required to provide safe emotional and physical school environments. The intent of this guide is to help schools prevent and respond to bullying effectively as part of promoting positive environments in which all students can learn and thrive.
Bullying Prevention Advisory Group
Peter Hughes, Secretary for Education
(Chair, Bullying Prevention Advisory Group)
Patrick Walsh, SPANZ
(Chair, Online Safety Advisory Group)
Sally Boyd, NZCER
Jill Chrisp, HRC
Martin Cocker, NetSafe
Brian Coffey, MOE
Stephanie Greaney, ERO
Martin Henry, PPTA
Roly Hermans, NZ Police
Lorraine Kerr, NZSTA
Neil Melhuish, NetSafe
Ruth Palmer, MSD
Sandy Pasley, SPANZ
David Rutherford, HRC
Richard Schmidt, MOJ
Rikki Sheterline, NZEI
Lawrie Stewart, NZ Police
Phil Tappenden, NZAIMS
Denise Torrey, NZPF
David Wales, MOE
Russell Wills, OCC
Acknowledgements
This second edition includes the following new perspectives:
- schools that expressed interest in discussing their views on the first edition of the guide
- an online survey on supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and questioning (LGBTIQ) young people in schools
- examples of initiatives funded through the Ministry of Social Development’s Te Punanga Haumaru.
We acknowledge the significant contributions made by all the authors of this guide, and are grateful for feedback from the Office of the Children’s Commissioner – Young People’s Advisory Group, the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand and Pink Shirt Day Steering Committee (including Youthline, InsideOUT, Peace Foundation), and other agencies, individuals, school staff and academics.