Anti-bullying
Wednesday 18 November 2009
n2k catches up with Alex Holmes who has featured on the website regularly since he became an anti-bullying campaigner a few years ago. Plus check out what you can do if you need help.
Get help
- Being bullied right now and need to talk? Call ChildLine free on 0800 1111.
- You can also visit our Beat Bullying website for more advice and guidance.
- Getting grief on line? Find out what cyber bullying is and how you can beat it.
- Did you know that there are over 6,000 Anti-bullying peer mentors around the UK? These mentors are young people who work closely with those affected by bullying, as either the bully or the person being bullied. Read all about schools taking part and how you can get involved as well.
Alex Holmes
To read Alex’s full blog visit the n2k MySpace, Facebook or Bebo pages.
Also watch our interview with Alex on the set of GMTV!
What have you been doing since last year?
I toured lots of local primary and secondary schools, acting as a speaker and offering advice and help on how to set up Anti-Bullying campaigns in schools.
Recently I was invited to meet the producer and some of the stars of Hollyoaks! Hollyoaks are interested in doing a story on bullying and possibly teaming up with myself - so watch this space.
I started working at a new school in Milton Keynes, as a Learning Mentor, tackling Behaviour and Bullying. I went to the school and started an Anti-Bullying Campaign and over 300 students signed up to be Anti-Bullying Ambassadors and part of the team!
What about your involvement with the campaign to stop knife crimes?
Channel 4 invited me to their Disarming Britain live debate, which was a campaign to stop gun and knife crime.
It's again such a huge topic and I believe in many ways, bullying is the first level. It's all about gang mentality and not respecting each other, which Anti-Bullying work aims to tackle. It's not just about bullying anymore; it's about looking out for each other.
We hear you’ve been mixing with the stars and winning some awards!
I was lucky enough to be invited to the Olympic Opening Ceremony party in London. We got some VIP tickets and managed to meet lots of the stars!
I was nominated for ITV Anglia Teacher of the Year and won! As a result I also got to attend the 'ITV Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards' as a finalist and met lots of celebrities - including Jeremy Kyle.
I also met Gordon Brown and Sarah Brown at Downing Street, along with the secretary for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls! They seemed impressed with my work and were keen, like me, to beat bullying once and for all.
If you’d like to get in touch with Alex and join in the campaign against bullying and knife crime, you can reach him via his MySpace.
Simple steps against bullying
Being bullied? Make a start at stopping it by following these 10 simple steps:-
- Keep calm and walk away – don’t react
- Don't get into a fight or an argument
- Don't accept that bullying is normal - it isn't!
- Talk to your friends and ask them to help you
- Talk to a trusted adult/peer supporter to get help and support
- Hang out with different people and avoid the bullies
- Don't reply to bullying emails or texts
- Do keep bullying emails or texts as proof
- Contact the police with a trusted adult if you feel in danger
