What is Better Buddies?
Better Buddies is an initiative designed to create friendly and caring school communities where bullying is reduced.
One of the most common forms of violence in the lives of children is bullying. In Australia it affects approximately one student in every four1. Bullying can have a devastating effect on a child. In addition, children who portray bullying behaviours are more likely to commit anti-social behaviour and criminal acts.2
We know that by helping to build relationships in schools where students feel connected, valued and supported, we can reduce negative and violent behaviours such as bullying.
Bullying is when someone (or a group of people) with more power than you, repeatedly and intentionally uses negative words and/or actions against you, which cause distress and risks your wellbeing. Bullying can be physical, verbal, emotional or social and can be carried out in person or electronically.
For more information about bullying please visit the National Centre Against Bullying website.
The Better Buddies Framework is an initiative of The Alannah and Madeline Foundation which can be used to support an existing school buddy system or introduce a new buddy system to the school. Better Buddies is an evidence-based Framework which incorporates components identified in research studies as contributing to better outcomes in buddy programs.
Through Better Buddies, children in their first and last year of primary school buddy up and learn the values: caring for others, friendliness, respect, valuing difference, including others and responsibility. All children in the school learn these values through formal and informal activities, including their interactions with the mascot Buddy Bear, our fun-loving and caring purple bear.
Better Buddies enables younger children to feel safe and cared for while older children feel valued and respected.
1 Cross, D., Shaw, T., Hearn, L., Epstein, M., Monks, H., Lester, L., and Thomas, L. 2009. Australian Covert Bullying Prevalence Study (ACBPS). Child Health Promotion Research Centre, Edith Cowan University, Perth.
2. Rigby, K. 2006, An overview of approaches to managing bully/victim problems. In H. McGrath and T. Noble, Bullying solutions; Evidence-based approachs for Australian schools, Pearson Education, Sydney.
McGrath, H., National Safe Schools Framework Best Practice Grants Program, unpublished report (2006)
Craig, W. and Pepler, D.J. (2003). Identifying and Targeting risk for involvement in bullying and victimisation, Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 48. pp577-582.
Craig, W. and Pepler, D.J. (1997). Observations of bullying and victimisation on the schoolyard, Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 2 pp41-60.
