Today, 11th November 2019 marks the beginning of Anti-Bullying Week with the theme ‘Change Starts With Us’. We’ll be taking part by highlighting the racist bullying that many Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children and young people face and calling on schools to take a zero tolerance approach to bullying.
Coordinated by the Anti-Bullying Alliance in partnership with O₂, Anti-Bullying Week forms part of a vision where bullying stops and children and young people can live, grow, play and learn in a safe environment.
What are Friends Families and Travellers doing to tackle racist bullying?
- We are working with the Anti-Bullying Alliance and children and young people from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities to develop a module for their ‘All Together’ Anti-Bullying Audit Tool for schools. Over 1000 schools have already signed up to the toolkit which is a whole school approach to bullying prevention and response.
- In the past year, our touring theatre production Crystal’s Vardo was shown to over 2000 people, many of whom were in school settings. Crystal’s Vardo tells the story of a young Gypsy girl who has been bullied in school and raises awareness of the rich histories and cultures of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. If you’d like to book Crystal’s Vardo, you can find more information here.
- Our dedicated outreach and casework teams support individuals and families affected by bullying in school. If you, or someone you know is experiencing bullying, we have advice on our website or you can call our helpline on 01273 234 777.
Commenting on the beginning of Anti-Bullying Week, Sarah Mann, Director of Friends Families and Travellers said:
“Prejudice against Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities is widespread. This has a devastating impact on children and young people who from a young age are exposed to levels of discrimination many adults would struggle to process or respond to. This Anti-Bullying Week, we call on schools across the country to take a zero tolerance approach to bullying of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children and young people. This must be explicit in staff training and in anti-bullying strategies.”
Notes for Editor
About Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT)
Friends, Families and Travellers is a leading national charity that works on behalf of all Gypsies, Roma and Travellers regardless of ethnicity, culture or background.
Media Contact
Sami McLaren, Communications Officer
Email: sami@gypsy-traveller.org
Relevant Resources
Anti-Bullying Alliance. Anti-Bullying Week, Change Starts With Us. View site.
