Youth volunteers tackle bullying

By Victoria Bartlett
BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight

Vuyo, Nathan and Amy from Portsmouth Youth Action Team

A group of young people from Portsmouth are trying to help local children with their own anti-bullying campaign.

Portsmouth's Youth Action Team want to educate on bullying and offer more help for victims.

As part of their campaign they interviewed players from Portsmouth Football Club on their views, which are included on the campaign's DVD.

They aim to tour schools to assist with bullying issues and start mentoring programmes where possible.

"A little idea around the table"

Portsmouth Youth Action Team are volunteers aged 16 - 25 who work in partnership with the Respect Programme, which encourages social and personal development of young people from any background.

A group of them have been filming, song-writing, creating artwork and working with the Portsmouth community for this anti-bullying campaign.

They now hope to share their research and experiences of bullying with other children to show them they are not alone if they get picked on.

Ultimately, these volunteers want to work together to help stamp out bullying in the city.

It would be great if we could personally help some of those affected by bullying and stop people getting hurt Vuyo Stamper, aged 18, from Hilsea

Jenna Boyson who helps run the team explains how the campaign came about: "Last November volunteers brainstormed to decide on a project they wanted to set up.

"A few of them mentioned the bullying issues they had experienced previously and they thought it would be good to make a DVD for young people by young people.

"It started off as a little idea around the table and it's grown to a city-wide involvement, being at Fratton Park, going to schools and now the Portsmouth Anti-bullying Alliance want to use our DVD to promote anti-bullying week in November, which is fantastic!"

Taking it into schools

The next stage of the campaign is aiming to set up an anti-bullying page on schools' intranets so children have another point of contact if they are experiencing bullying, one that they feel comfortable using anonymously.

Some of the youth volunteers also want to get involved in setting up peer-to-peer mentoring in schools so that children can go to other young people for help and advice if they are scared to go to teachers or parents.

Amy Boyson interviewing David James about his views on bullying

Jenna adds: "I didn't think they would come up with something like this - I thought they would go for something crazy and fun - but actually they chose a serious subject that means something to everyone involved.

"They can all relate to it and they've really got their teeth into it - it's been quite humbling to see."

The slogan the team has chosen to use across the campaign are 'You are not alone, enough is enough'.

Vuyo Stamper, 18, from Hilsea is one of the lead volunteers in the project. He says: "When I was at school I saw a lot of bullying and now I'm older I want to do what I can to try and help stop it.

"It would be great to see this campaign go nationally, having been started by us. And even better if we could personally help those affected get away from bullying and stop some people getting hurt.

"There's a lot of information out there already - we want to spread the word around school how to access that info and what to do if you get picked on."

Solent Youth Action

Portsmouth player, Hermann Hreidarsson, backs the campaign

Solent Youth Action is a youth volunteering charity that works with young people across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to help them contribute to their local community.

It aims to develop young people and prepare them for life and work by giving them challenges and projects to run themselves.

The charity also helps to consolidate links between their volunteers and employment, education and training.

Vuyo adds: "I started volunteering because I felt I needed something different that could build me and my character and help me get better skills for a future in business.

"You learn so much, get a chance to run your own projects, and meet a lot of people. I would recommend it to anyone."

Solent Youth Action runs activities like this throughout the year. If this sounds like something you would like to be involved with contact Solent Youth Action.