The Colorado Trust

Trust Initiative to Prevent Bullying

A new initiative of The Colorado Trust aims to help schools and community organizations prevent bullying. Research shows that bullying can no longer be dismissed with a “kids will be kids” view. Long-term effects of bullying indicate that youth who bully typically have a criminal record by age 24. And victims have an increased chance for experiencing academic failure, school absenteeism, low self-esteem, depression and an inability to connect socially with other youth as a result of being bullied.

“One of the most important issues to be addressed through this effort will be educating and empowering the vast majority of students who are neither bully ingnor being bullied, but are bystanders,” said John R. Moran, Jr., President and CEO of The Colorado Trust. “The recent tragic stabbing at Montbello High School underscores the

KUSA-9News recently did a series on bullying at schools, including information about The Trust’s new Bullying Prevention Initiative. To view the series, go to www.9news.com; from the home page, go to “News” on the left side of the page and then click on “Education.” Scroll down the page until you see the Bullying at School series.

importance of increasing awareness among students, teachers and others about bullying, including how to put a stop to it and how to prevent it altogether.” Research shows that in most schools, 85% of students are bystanders – students not actively involved in the bullying activity, only 6-7% of students are considered bullies and 9% are victims. Subtle and overt bullying activities include the exclusion of targeted youth in peer activities or social events, gossiping about others in harshly negative ways, unprovoked physical and verbal attacks and, most recently, the utilization of the Internet to anonymously harass and verbally attack vulnerable students.

The Trust has a long-standing commitment to encouraging positive youth development and preventing youth violence through such initiatives as the Safe2Tell Hotline, Safe Communities~Safe Schools, Assets for Colorado Youth and After-School. For the Bullying Prevention Initiative, The Trust is conducting a competitive Request for Proposals process to select up to 35 grantees from across the state. The effort will focus on providing support to schools and community-based organizations for new, existing or the expansion of bullying prevention programs. Programs must be evidenced-based, which means funded programs will be considered to be a best practice, promising or an emerging program as defined by prevention research. Grant awards will average $50,000 a year over a three year period, with grantees also receiving technical assistance, training and numerous networking opportunities.

An independent evaluation of this initiative will be conducted to determine if, as a result of this initiative, youth and adults are able to intervene in a positive way when confronted with bullying activities. The evaluation will also look at whether adults are better able to implement the bullying prevention programs and strategies.

To view the Request for Proposals, click here. The deadline for submitting proposals is March 1, 2005.