Take Action for a Better Society

Other pages deal with specific campaigns in each country but this page will look at how we may influence and work in our own individual ways for a better society. Although some of the information may be country specific, it is intended as an example of what could be done any country. If you find more information, please let me know and I will include it here or roll it out to each country's campaign page.

Starting Early
Those who suffer from workplace bullying can add an important voice to the campaigns against school bullying. If bullying behaviour can be tackled at an early age, some school bullies may grow into respectful adults who understand right behaviour from wrong. This is a collection of information and campaigns you may wish to get involved or find similar information for your country:

Anti-Bullying Network
Get involved with organisations such as ABN who do excellent work to combat bullying in schools. The Anti-Bullying Network was set up to encourage and enable school staff, parents and young people to share ideas about how bullying in school can be tackled. It is funded by the Scottish Executive and based at the University of Edinburgh. The main focus of the ABN is on work in Scottish schools but the information on the website is also of great value and relevance to schools outside Scotland.
It's got a lot of useful information for young people who are experiencing
bullying and for their families. Also important information and ideas to
help young people and adults tackle bullying in school. It also contains
a research section 'Bullying - Questions and Answers', which provides clear and easy to read summaries, providing information about some major studies and surveys of bullying in the UK and further afield (for example Scandanavia and Australia). This section will be of interest to anyone who wants to find out more about bullying and how it can be tackled in school.

Anti-bullying Charter

Schools National Anti-Bullying Poster Competition

Anti-bullying pack for schools
Why not give it to your local schools if they seem remiss in taking bullying seriously. DfES had their anti-bullying pack externally evaluated and the results, though based on a fairly low response rate from schools, show that schools found that the pack met their expectations and helped in drawing up their anti-bullying policies. Did the rest go in the bin?

Anti Bullying Campaign
Advice line for parents and children - Tel: 0207 378 1446 (9.30am-5.00pm)

Action to combat bullying
Peter Lawley looks at a recent report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate (HMI) for Education on pupil bullying in school, and how its findings can shape school policy.

School Governors
Why not be a school governor and change things from the inside? The governance of individual schools clearly need people with direct experience of bullying (the receiving end of course!) to get this blight taken seriously. How about it? If you are a school governor who has made a difference to the way bullying is dealt with, please let us know!

Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
Why not find out if your local schools are aware of, or even teach, emotional intelligence? If not, they may appreciate some information on EQ and democratic schools.

How you can influence society to be better
Fed up with the system? Well, not try to change it? This is not for everyone, but we do need more bullying-aware people in power or positions of influence. Here are a few examples of how you could influence society.

Become a lay magistrate (Justice of the Peace)

Magistrates Association

Department of Constitutional Affairs

Article: How to become a magistrate

Become an MP

The WORK of an MP
Includes details on how to become an MP

Guardian Quiz: Could you become an MP?

FirstDemocrat is a fledgling political party that seeks to appoint 500+ individuals as candidates at the next general election and its beliefs about politics: Intelligent Government. What a novel idea! Can we add Emotional to that please?

Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
IQ is the traditional way to see how intelligent someone is - but that does not tell you what kind of person they are. Some people may have high conventional intelligence (IQ) and technical skills but low emotional intelligence. People with low EQ typically have a lack of empathy, respect, decency, common sense and ability to communicate with others in an effective way and have little integrity or trustworthiness. Bullying, intimidation, backstabbing and manipulation to them, seems normal. The BullyEQ site looks at EQ in lots of contexts, including the workplace. It may help you find something suitable to do, to help raise the awareness of EQ. It is time that IQ is not the only score to value an individual in society.

Other ideas waiting for research on links etc:

Legal executive or Solicitor

EQ Trainer

Teacher/Lecturer

Union Activity

Mediator

Tell us your contribution to a better society so that it may encourage others to act