The Program takes a holistic, preventative, and sustainable approach to bullying prevention and mental health, providing behavioural education, relationship building skills, self-improvement and wellbeing development, communication and negotiating skills, strategies, and physical skills to resolve a wide range of conflict and bullying situations. As most perpetrators have been/are also victims of bullying, the Program focuses on the best outcome for everyone, including the perpetrators, as well as improving the culture at schools to create an environment where students and teachers feel safe, happy, appreciated, respected, and liked. Whilst teaching students how to effectively manage conflict to ensure that no one gets hurt (neither the aggressor or the target), it also addresses many of the underlying issues of bullying and mental health, such as:

• the students’ perception of their own self-worth, the self-worth of others and why they should value and respect themselves and others;

• understanding why children bully others;

• how they can manage their thoughts, feelings and actions through emotional regulation and other strategies;

• understanding how bullying negatively impacts victims, perpetrators, bystanders, teachers, the school, parents and the community;

• understanding that doing nothing in a bullying situation means they are condoning the action of the perpetrator, as does snickering, laughing, or joining in. As the primary reason for bullying is to enhance social status, by not encouraging the perpetrator, it deters their actions;

• understanding that students have the power to stop bullying at their school, as the strength is in the numbers and our numerous surveys confirm that virtually all students would prefer to attend a school where there is no bullying;

• understanding their human and legal rights to be respected, live safely and peacefully;

• learning how to prevent, diffuse and manage conflict long before it becomes bullying, to
achieve the best outcome for everyone, including the perpetrator;

• as today’s bystander could be tomorrow’s target, students learn how to diffuse bullying situations as an active bystander, including how to resolve a bullying situation as part of a team of active bystanders;

• engaging older, larger, stronger and more influential students (seniors) to take a lead role as active bystanders and Program leaders, rather than ignoring bullying, as seniors sometimes do; and

• understanding why respect, confidence, courage, integrity and resilience are important qualities and why developing these qualities can improve their life, as well as the culture at their school.

Bullying negatively impacts mental health and school attendance, as bullied children are often frightened to attend school and when they do, they are stressed and not as receptive to achieve the learning outcomes expected. This has a negative impact on academic performance. The Program changes the culture of a school in a very positive manner, creating an environment where children look forward to attending and where they are happy, relaxed, and able to produce their best possible academic results. As an example, John Schuh, the Executive Principal of the Ferny Grove State High School says “… the effect that it (the Program) has had on the confidence, resilience, and engagement of students has been immense.”

The Program builds integrity and courage and empowers students with sustainable solutions to conflict management, increasing their confidence and assisting them to develop better relationships with themselves and others, which also translates into improved academic performance. This character development also assists teachers and administrative staff at the school. Children are the future of our country, and the Program is designed to develop strong, confident, respectful, and resilient children who can lead our country into the future.