Buddies are patrolling a playground near you, as schools across Gwent introduce new measures to tackle bullying. SOPHIE BROWNSON reports.

GWENT schools have set up ‘buddy’ schemes to combat one of the biggest issues in schools today, bullying, as government requirements state that schools must produce an antibullying policy.

Last June Abertillery Comprehensive School was the first in Blaenau Gwent to be awarded an anti-bullying kitemark, and this year the school is still going strong in its efforts to maintain its pioneering buddy scheme to tackle bullying.

The school received a bronze kitemark after 12 youngsters aged between 13 and 20 volunteered to talk to pupils about anti-bullying measures in place at the school.

Rebecca Owen, peer support coordinator at Abertillery Comprehensive School, said: “Last year we received an anti-bullying award for our buddy scheme.

“Over the last few months we have been putting suggestions made to us from our last inspection into practice to tackle bullying more effectively.

“We now have a peer support room that is open at break times and lunch time, where pupils can talk to other children about bullying.

Alongside this we also have 30 buddies, otherwise known as peer mentors.

“These are pupils who have been trained by Cardiff organisation BulliesOut in peer mentor skills.

“From this training, 15 of our pupils, from Years 8 to 11 achieved a qualification.

“We started off just having the older pupils acting as buddies, but now our buddy team is made up of all year groups.

“Their main responsibilities are to help the children who are being bullied and to listen to any problems they might have.

“All the buddies now have a hoody that says ‘Buddy’ on the back, and the buddies have to wear them at break and lunch times when they are on duty so that the children can identify them.

“The buddy scheme has really moved forward this year, we have children going into the peer support room and asking for help.

“I think this is because we have been able to get the right staff to help children with the problems they have got.

“It’s definitely working.”

Welsh artist Nathan Wyburn is an ambassador for BulliesOut, a charity helping those affected by bullying.

The charity provides help, support and information to individuals, schools, youth and community settings affected by bullying, through schemes such as Abertillery Comprehensive Schools’ peer support scheme and Playground Pals, an initiative that aims to encourage a healthier and more active playtime, one that is harmonious and reduces the potential for minor dispute.

The 23-year-old, originally from Abergavenny, said: “I have been the ambassador for them because my artwork was getting more well known and the charity is something I feel passionate about.

“I was bullied at school and I want to inspire people to achieve something despite being bullied.

As part of my role I use social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook to show support to those facing difficulties and I try my best to attend award ceremonies and other events to promote the charity, and people have been very nice and supportive of the cause.”

Blaenau Gwent Council is the second local authority to consider a universal anti-bullying strategy.

The council defines bullying as deliberately hurtful behaviour that is repeated over a period of time that includes teasing, abusive remarks and name-calling and threats and physical violence, among many others.

But now schools are combating bullying using specially designed anti-bullying programmes using the students themselves to act as ‘buddies’ and look out for vulnerable children in their year group.

Councillor Bob Poole, cabinet member for education and young people, said: “Newport City Council’s education service takes the issue of bullying very seriously.

The Newport inclusion team regularly reviews the level and type of support they provide to school-based staff on anti-bullying issues. All schools have a statutory duty to produce an anti-bullying policy. This is monitored on an annual basis.

“In cases where a child is attending school and there are concerns over allegations of bullying, parents should initially contact the school and arrange a meeting with the head teacher to discuss the issues.”

A survey carried out by the Welsh Government in 2009 gathered information from around 7,400 pupils.

The survey commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government and undertaken by the People and Work Unit aimed to improve its anti-bullying approaches.

Pupils in Years 4, 6, 7 and 10 were asked to complete questionnaires.

All secondary schools, Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) and a sample of primary schools in Wales were invited to participate in the survey.

The survey showed that bullying was seen to decline with age, with 32 per cent of Year 6 pupils reporting being bullied in the last two months, compared with only 15 per cent of Year 10 pupils.