More time for anti-bullying competitions
Three multi-media competitions for children and young people to come up with their own anti-bullying adverts have been extended.
Warwickshire’s Anti-bullying Partnership launched the competition during anti-bullying week in November 2009 tasking young people to get creative and design mousemats or storyboards, and audio or videos clips featuring beat the bully messages.
The closing date for the three competitions was originally set for February but has been extended to 12 March to give young people more time to prepare their entries and because time was lost earlier this term due to bad weather.
The first competition is for children aged 4 to 11. They can design a mouse mat to help people stay safe from bullying with the winning design being made into a mouse mats for the entrant’s school. Gift vouchers for the winning entrant and three runners up will also be awarded.
Any young person or groups of young people from Warwickshire aged between 11 (must be in year 7) and 19 are eligible to enter a competition for older students. They have to come up with a storyboard for an anti-bullying video advert. Winners will have their advert made professionally, will receive an activity day with the Ministry of Defence.
In the third competition, children and young people aged 4 – 19 are asked to make an audio anti-bullying message or ‘advert’ for radio. The winner/s will and get to hear their finished work played on air at Touch FM.
Warwickshire County Councillor Izzi Seccombe, Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People and Families said: “The partnership works extremely hard to stamp out bullying and these creative competitions offer innovative ways to get children thinking of new ways to express themselves and make their friends and families safer.”
Warwickshire County Council’s Anti-bullying Co-ordinator Rachel Evans said: “These competitions are another way for the partnership to promote anti-bullying messages and get children and young people engaged.
“We have been working with schools and youth and community groups to develop resources to support anti-bullying initiatives in Warwickshire for a number of years now.
“Over this time schools have become more involved, school representation in the partnership has grown as a result and we have developed a close information sharing network between schools and partners. This enables us to be more effective in our approach to tackle bullying in the county.”
Warwickshire’s anti-bullying partnership is made up of Warwickshire County Council, schools, Warwickshire Police and a range of other agencies including Connexions, Relate and Victim Support who work together to influence positive behaviours and stamp out bullying.
For more information about the Anti-bullying Partnership and how to get involved with any of the projects log onto http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/bullying