Senior pupils at Arbroath Academy are taking the initiative in a pioneering peer mentoring programme to help younger children combat bullying and harassment.
Delivered in association with Police Scotland and supported by the Scottish Government, Mentors in Violence Prevention is aimed at giving young people the chance to explore and challenge the attitudes, beliefs and cultural norms that underpin gender-based attacks, bullying and other forms of violence.
The training for first year youngsters tackles issues such as name-calling, sexting, controlling behaviour and harassment.
Key to the initiative is a ‘bystander’ approach in which individuals are not looked on as potential victims or perpetrators, but as empowered and active bystanders with the ability to support and challenge their peers in a safe way.
Fourth to sixth year pupils at the academy who were recognised for having a positive impact on their peers have been selected by class teachers and principal teachers of pupil care to help deliver the training.
Angus is hopeful of mirroring the outcome of similar work elsewhere, with national analysis indicating that pupils would be more likely to act or intervene if they witnessed such behaviour, or report concerns and incidents to staff.
Improved engagement between younger and more senior pupils as well as confidence-building are also hoped-for outcomes of the Academy programme.
It is hoped all year groups at the Arbroath secondary will have received the training within five years, bringing with it a major and positive impact on their school and local community.
Angus children and learning convener, Arbroath Conservative councillor Derek Wann said: “This is a really powerful programme that empowers young people to recognise and challenge all forms of violent and abusive behaviour.
“There is a lot of evidence that our young people are facing new and different challenges, so it is important that we continue to develop new ways to help them tackle these in a positive and safe way.
“I’m delighted that Arbroath Academy has become involved and I’ll be very interested to hear how the project progresses.”
