Parents and carers, school staff and other adults working with children can positively contribute to the prevention of bullying.
Breaking the cycle of bullying
From 2006 to 2008 the Solid Kids, Solid Schools project collected Yamaji stories about childhood bullying through interviews and focus groups. Parents and carers were often concerned that they were bullied when they were children and that their children were being bullied too. Parents and carers, Elders, school staff and community members who participated agreed the cycle of bullying in Yamaji communities needed to be broken. All participants said they wanted help to stop the bullying cycle.
There are different ways kids get involved in bullying: they may be bullied, they may bully, and they may see a friend or family member being bullied.
- Yamaji wangi
- ‘Lots of kids doing the bullying are bullied themselves and also have parents who bully or are bullied.’
- Yamaji parent/carer
- ‘Lots of jealousy stems back to the family; it’s just carried on from parents who are feuding.’
- Yamaji parent/carer
The Solid Kids, Solid Schools project found that Yamaji experiences of childhood bullying are as varied as other issues affecting Aboriginal communities. Bullying behaviours and attitudes among children can be changed through education and leadership by parents and carers.
- Yamaji wangi
- ‘…parents need to encourage and teach their children to confide in someone they trust, as this is a skill our children seem to grow out of especially the young males.’
- Yamaji Elder
Elders were identified as important to dealing with bullying and other forms of violence, but the picture is not complete without everyone in the community offering a viewpoint and contributing.
- Yamaji wangi
- 'Well I believe that bullying needs to be addressed here in the school because even though these kids like the programs run for them, there is one negative thing holding them back and that’s the bullying. Get rid of that and then things should run smoothly, well in reality we are never gonna get rid of [bullying] but hopefully we can tone it down a bit.’
- Yamaji Elder
