BULLYING PREVENTION EFFORTS HIGHLIGHTED AT TRUST EVENT Sixteen-year-old Brittni Hernandez gets frustrated when her classmates are afraid or unwilling to take action when they see bullying going on around them. “Bullying at my school isn’t so much people pushing each other around, but gossiping and spreading rumors,” said the junior from University Schools in Greeley during a Learning Lunch hosted by The Colorado Trust on March 14. “So we decided to do something about it at my school. We have a process where students and school staff take on bullying by discussing appropriate reactions. Every year, we teach our freshmen that bullying just isn’t tolerated at our school and then practice new skills that help them to prevent bullying.” Kirk Williams of the University of California in Riverside, who is partnering with JVA Consulting to conduct an independent evaluation of The Trust’s Bullying Prevention Initiative, also shared preliminary evaluation findings. Williams noted that programs put in place by grantees of the initiative – which is estimated to reach more than 50,000 young people and adults across 40 Colorado counties – are making a difference. Based on data collected for 62 schools, 49% of the schools had reductions in negative bullying and bystander behaviors among youths; and 63% had improvements in school context (e.g., greater trust, respect and support from teachers and peers) and school culture (e.g., disapproval of bullying behaviors and perceived willingness of others to help out in bullying situations). For additional information about the Bullying Prevention Initiative contact Ed Lucero, Senior Program Officer, 303-837-1200, ed@coloradotrust.org. For more information about the related evaluation, please contact Nancy Csuti, Director of Evaluation, 303-837-1200, nancy@coloradotrust.org. |
