Why do we need four pillars?

More often than not, awareness about bullying is the result of a particular incident. Consequently, the primary focus, at least initially, is on intervention – what can be done to help the person who is being victimized? What do we do with the youth who is doing the bullying? How do we effectively intervene to ensure that the bullying stops?

This intervention may deal with the present bullying problem, but it is not a long term solution. But this intervention alone is not enough. In order to create environments where children feel safe education, assessment, and policy development are equally important. PREVNet is creating tools to support each of these pillars.

The PREVNet framework is founded on four pillars:

• The Education Pillar develops awareness to change attitudes and build commitment to address bullying problems among all Canadian citizens and organizations involved with children and youth.

• The Assessment Pillar provides universal assessment tools to evaluate the extent of bullying and/or victimization problems for children and adolescents, their families, schools, and communities.

• The Intervention Pillar provides guidelines to empirically-based programs and tools to reduce problems of bullying and victimization.

• The Policy Pillar is designed to stimulate policy development, providing guidelines for ensuring children’s rights to be safe and supported in all contexts of their lives.
  

Education Pillar:

PREVNet is designed to raise awareness and understanding about bullying problems throughout Canada. Education and training will be enhanced through our partnerships with government and non-government organizations. We will be involved in many activities through these partnerships including developing tools such as: training manuals and workshops, quick reference guides, research communiqués, continuing education courses, and public service announcements. The principles for the education and training materials derive from the key messages of PREVNet:

1. Bullying is Wrong and Hurtful.
2. Bullying is a Relationship Problem.
3. Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence are Everybody's Responsibility.

What do we need to understand about bullying?

The PREVNet Education Pillar uses evidence-based materials that aid in the understanding of what bullying is and what its impact is on all the parties involved. The Education Pillar focuses on the following questions:

• What is bullying?
• How do bullying and victimization develop?
• Who is at risk for being involved in bullying?
• What are the consequences of involvement in bullying?
• Who influences bullying?
• How do other children participate?
• What are parents' roles?
• What are the roles of other adults?
• What is the role of organizations?
• What is the role of communities?
• What works to prevent bullying?
• What can children involved in bullying do?
• How can peers help?
• How can parents help?
• How can other adults help?
• How can organizations help?
• How can communities help?
  

Once there is understanding on the definition of bullying and the roles and responsibilities of the parties involved, the next step is assessment.

Assessment Pillar:

Assessments provide the baseline for understanding the nature and extent of bullying problems. Effective assessments will identify the prevalence, the developmental factors, and the systemic issues surrounding the problems of bullying. The assessment informs the selection of a bullying prevention program to meet the specific needs of an organization. First and foremost, the bullying prevention program must address the issues identified through the assessment process.

What is assessment?

Assessment is a formalized method of finding out the extent and the nature of bullying problems in different settings. Assessment provides an initial understanding of the problems of bullying and ongoing assessments measure how effectively these problems are being handled within an organization. An assessment can determine:

• How often it happens?
• Who is involved?
• What they are doing?
• When it occurs?
• Where it occurs?
• How do other children participate?
• How do the children themselves handle bullying problems?
• How do other children handle bullying problems?
• How do adults handle bullying problems?
• How does an organization handle bullying problems?
• What does an organization do to prevent bullying problems?
  

Different organizations and professionals working with children need to focus on different elements of the problem, depending on where they can influence children’s healthy relationships. Assessments need to be developmentally-sensitive and appropriate for the age and gender of children or adolescents for whom they are intended. They also need to be systemic, assessing the nature of the problem for individual children involved in bullying or victimization, peers involved as bystanders, parents, other adults, and the broader organizational climate.

PREVNet develops assessment tools that aid in the evaluation of all these critical questions and concerns related to bullying problems. Once the scope and nature of bullying in a school or organization has been determined, the need and directions for intervention are clear.

Intervention Pillar:

The PREVNet Intervention Pillar will help Canadians develop scientifically effective strategies to intervene and reduce bullying problems. It focuses on strategies that are age-sensitive in order to address the bullying problems faced by different age groups. These strategies are aimed at working with children, adults, peers, schools, and communities. The Intervention Pillar focuses on the following questions:

• What are effective interventions in bullying problems?
• What are effective interventions for children who are victimized?
• What are effective interventions with children who bully?
• What are effective interventions for children who are bystanders in bullying?
• What are effective interventions with groups of children to prevent bullying?
• How to support adults who are responsible for children involved in bullying.
• How to support parents of children involved in bullying.
• What can organizations address bullying problems?
  

The foundation for supporting healthy relationships among children is providing them with healthy relationships with adults. Even when a program has strong empirical validation and demonstrated effectiveness, it also matters how the program is implemented.

Based on PREVNet's principles, we have identified empirically-based guidelines for developing interventions:

• Intervention programs need to be research-based and require ongoing evaluations.
• Intervention in bullying problems requires a focus on children’s development. 
• Intervention in bullying problems requires a focus on children’s relationships.
• Leadership is the foundation for promoting relationships and eliminating violence.
  

Once effective interventions are being practised, policies need to be developed.

Policy Pillar:

The aim of a bullying prevention policy is to specifically define bullying and establish steps that will be taken when bullying occurs. PREVNet believes bullying problems require a systemic response that includes the individual perpetrating the aggression and the victimized youth, as well as peers, adults, and the community. COnsequently, the policy must address the roles and responsibilities of all these individuals.

The UN Convention on Rights of the Child specifies that children should be protected from abusive experiences. Within Canada, there are laws that protect all citizens from abuse. Why then does bullying continue and why are so many children involved in this form of peer abuse? One answer may be that only recently have we recognized the long term consequences of peer harassment. Educational, social, and legal responses are slowly developing. From a prevention and early intervention perspective, the policies governing responses to harassment (sexual, racial, etc.) among adults provide an excellent framework upon which to build an effective approach to protecting children and adolescents who are abused by their peers. By implementing parallel policies, we can develop schools and communities as places where all members feel safe and are treated with respect.

There are five basic elements required within a policy to address bullying:

• A clear definition of bullying.
• An indication that the policy applies to all members of the school and community.
• A clear statement of concern and commitment to resolve bullying problems.
• Clear procedures and processes to resolve bullying problems.
• Support for the children or youth who have been victimized.
• Formative consequences for the children or youth who have been bullying.

Why do we need four pillars?

More often than not, awareness about bullying is the result of a particular incident. Consequently, the primary focus, at least initially, is on intervention – what can be done to help the person who is being victimized? What do we do with the youth who is doing the bullying? How do we effectively intervene to ensure that the bullying stops?

This intervention may deal with the present bullying problem, but it is not a long term solution. But this intervention alone is not enough. In order to create environments where children feel safe education, assessment, and policy development are equally important. PREVNet is creating tools to support each of these pillars.

The PREVNet framework is founded on four pillars:

• The Education Pillar develops awareness to change attitudes and build commitment to address bullying problems among all Canadian citizens and organizations involved with children and youth.

• The Assessment Pillar provides universal assessment tools to evaluate the extent of bullying and/or victimization problems for children and adolescents, their families, schools, and communities.

• The Intervention Pillar provides guidelines to empirically-based programs and tools to reduce problems of bullying and victimization.

• The Policy Pillar is designed to stimulate policy development, providing guidelines for ensuring children’s rights to be safe and supported in all contexts of their lives.
  

Education Pillar:

PREVNet is designed to raise awareness and understanding about bullying problems throughout Canada. Education and training will be enhanced through our partnerships with government and non-government organizations. We will be involved in many activities through these partnerships including developing tools such as: training manuals and workshops, quick reference guides, research communiqués, continuing education courses, and public service announcements. The principles for the education and training materials derive from the key messages of PREVNet:

1. Bullying is Wrong and Hurtful.
2. Bullying is a Relationship Problem.
3. Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence are Everybody's Responsibility.

What do we need to understand about bullying?

The PREVNet Education Pillar uses evidence-based materials that aid in the understanding of what bullying is and what its impact is on all the parties involved. The Education Pillar focuses on the following questions:

• What is bullying?
• How do bullying and victimization develop?
• Who is at risk for being involved in bullying?
• What are the consequences of involvement in bullying?
• Who influences bullying?
• How do other children participate?
• What are parents' roles?
• What are the roles of other adults?
• What is the role of organizations?
• What is the role of communities?
• What works to prevent bullying?
• What can children involved in bullying do?
• How can peers help?
• How can parents help?
• How can other adults help?
• How can organizations help?
• How can communities help?
  

Once there is understanding on the definition of bullying and the roles and responsibilities of the parties involved, the next step is assessment.

Assessment Pillar:

Assessments provide the baseline for understanding the nature and extent of bullying problems. Effective assessments will identify the prevalence, the developmental factors, and the systemic issues surrounding the problems of bullying. The assessment informs the selection of a bullying prevention program to meet the specific needs of an organization. First and foremost, the bullying prevention program must address the issues identified through the assessment process.

What is assessment?

Assessment is a formalized method of finding out the extent and the nature of bullying problems in different settings. Assessment provides an initial understanding of the problems of bullying and ongoing assessments measure how effectively these problems are being handled within an organization. An assessment can determine:

• How often it happens?
• Who is involved?
• What they are doing?
• When it occurs?
• Where it occurs?
• How do other children participate?
• How do the children themselves handle bullying problems?
• How do other children handle bullying problems?
• How do adults handle bullying problems?
• How does an organization handle bullying problems?
• What does an organization do to prevent bullying problems?
  

Different organizations and professionals working with children need to focus on different elements of the problem, depending on where they can influence children’s healthy relationships. Assessments need to be developmentally-sensitive and appropriate for the age and gender of children or adolescents for whom they are intended. They also need to be systemic, assessing the nature of the problem for individual children involved in bullying or victimization, peers involved as bystanders, parents, other adults, and the broader organizational climate.

PREVNet develops assessment tools that aid in the evaluation of all these critical questions and concerns related to bullying problems. Once the scope and nature of bullying in a school or organization has been determined, the need and directions for intervention are clear.

Intervention Pillar:

The PREVNet Intervention Pillar will help Canadians develop scientifically effective strategies to intervene and reduce bullying problems. It focuses on strategies that are age-sensitive in order to address the bullying problems faced by different age groups. These strategies are aimed at working with children, adults, peers, schools, and communities. The Intervention Pillar focuses on the following questions:

• What are effective interventions in bullying problems?
• What are effective interventions for children who are victimized?
• What are effective interventions with children who bully?
• What are effective interventions for children who are bystanders in bullying?
• What are effective interventions with groups of children to prevent bullying?
• How to support adults who are responsible for children involved in bullying.
• How to support parents of children involved in bullying.
• What can organizations address bullying problems?
  

The foundation for supporting healthy relationships among children is providing them with healthy relationships with adults. Even when a program has strong empirical validation and demonstrated effectiveness, it also matters how the program is implemented.

Based on PREVNet's principles, we have identified empirically-based guidelines for developing interventions:

• Intervention programs need to be research-based and require ongoing evaluations.
• Intervention in bullying problems requires a focus on children’s development. 
• Intervention in bullying problems requires a focus on children’s relationships.
• Leadership is the foundation for promoting relationships and eliminating violence.
  

Once effective interventions are being practised, policies need to be developed.

Policy Pillar:

The aim of a bullying prevention policy is to specifically define bullying and establish steps that will be taken when bullying occurs. PREVNet believes bullying problems require a systemic response that includes the individual perpetrating the aggression and the victimized youth, as well as peers, adults, and the community. COnsequently, the policy must address the roles and responsibilities of all these individuals.

The UN Convention on Rights of the Child specifies that children should be protected from abusive experiences. Within Canada, there are laws that protect all citizens from abuse. Why then does bullying continue and why are so many children involved in this form of peer abuse? One answer may be that only recently have we recognized the long term consequences of peer harassment. Educational, social, and legal responses are slowly developing. From a prevention and early intervention perspective, the policies governing responses to harassment (sexual, racial, etc.) among adults provide an excellent framework upon which to build an effective approach to protecting children and adolescents who are abused by their peers. By implementing parallel policies, we can develop schools and communities as places where all members feel safe and are treated with respect.

There are five basic elements required within a policy to address bullying:

• A clear definition of bullying.
• An indication that the policy applies to all members of the school and community.
• A clear statement of concern and commitment to resolve bullying problems.
• Clear procedures and processes to resolve bullying problems.
• Support for the children or youth who have been victimized.
• Formative consequences for the children or youth who have been bullying.