Bullying is harmful behaviour and can happen anyone. It can happen online or face-to-face at your school, youth club or sports club.
Bullying may start off in school and spill over into your after-school activities or clubs. Bullying behaviour is a choice – by choosing to be more respectful to each other we can help stamp out bullying together.
Some examples of bullying behaviour can be name-calling, spreading rumours about you, being ignored or left out of the group. It can also be physical – pushing and getting shoved about. Being hit, kicked or physically hurt. Being the victim of bullying behaviour can also be embarrassing, especially in front of your other friends.
It doesn’t really matter the form of the bullying – it can all have an equally damaging effect.
If you are being bullied, here are some things you can do to help stop it:
- Tell a trusted adult – a parent, school teacher, your club coach or club welfare officer. Your school and football club have policies in place that they must follow to deal with these problems and make sure the bullying stops.
- Get advice from other organisations like Childline.
- Tell a friend – they may help by giving you the confidence to challenge the bully or encourage you to tell someone else that can help.
If you know someone who is being bullied, you can help them too. Anyone who displays bullying behaviour can be intimidating, sometimes you may feel thankful that you’re not the person getting bullied. Here are some of the things you can do to help:
- If it is safe for you to challenge someone, be confident and try it.
- Tell an adult – they may not even need to tell anyone it was you who told.
- Don’t be scared to talk to someone who may be getting bullied, you just might give them the confidence to know that they can get help.
For more information and advice you an down the Irish FA Safeguarding Children and Young People in Football app here: iTunes | Google Play
Further resources and information is also available here