Corbett Centre users spread anti-bullying message
A group of adults from the Corbett Centre in Inverness have devised a presentation that hits the mark when it comes to promoting the anti-bullying message to local school children. A recent visit to Kinmylies Primary School now means 3,000 young pupils have watched and taken part in this unique anti-bully campaign.
Three members of staff and seven service users from the day centre for adults with learning disabilities are busy with a full diary of school visits planned to make young people more aware on what it is to have a learning disability and of the effects that bullying can have on a person.
The presentations, aimed at P3 to P7 pupils, are informative and interesting with card games used to enable children to interact and enjoy themselves whilst absorbing the important issues surrounding bullying and disability. The Group also meet with school leavers to discuss the problem bullying has on other people.
Resource Manager at the Corbett Centre, Avril Granville said: “Our anti-bullying group was established in 2002 in conjunction with KEY, following a seminar regarding the bullying of people with Learning Disabilities. Since then, we have grown from strength to strength. Two years ago we gave a presentation to 600 probationary teachers in Dingwall and we have now spoken to over 3000 school pupils. Our group members, who have learning disabilities, have grown in confidence and have gained a great deal of self esteem from telling their own personal stories publicly.”
The Group is the only Anti-Bullying Group in the Highlands and although their priority has been to visit each school in the Inverness Area, they recently gave a presentation to a group of visiting pupils from Newtonmore and now have several more requests from outwith their catchment area.
The Highland Council’s Chairman of Housing and Social Work Services, Councillor Margaret Davidson said: “This is a great success story which benefits the adults giving the workshops and the children who get a chance to discover some of the awful effects bullying has on people in their communities. The positive feedback and the increasing requests for the Group to hold workshops and give their presentation is a glowing testament to the hard work and great effort made by everyone involved. They obviously have managed to devise and target their presentation to be as effective as possible with the right impact. What the group are doing makes a real difference and can encourage young children to speak out about getting bullied. I would like to congratulate them all for their efforts and wish them well as they continue to promote the anti-bullying message.”