Armidale PCYC has hosted students from Duval High School for a bullying prevention day

Year seven students from Duval High School were engaged in an anti-bullying day to provide students with the tools to prevent bullying and recognise harmful behaviours. 

Police officers educate students on the effects of cyber bullying, social bullying and prevention and show students how to deal with a range of possible scenarios.

PCYC Club Manager Demian Coates said that it was important for students to learn life skills and break up social groups in the process.

“The officers teach the consequences of bullying and that if you are a bully it can affect your life for the rest of your life.

These kids need to learn about the amount of damage bullying can do to the community and with an educational approach they are more likely to be happy and make smarter choices,” he said. 

Coates believes that removing students from the classroom environment and encouraging them to speak to students outside their regular social groups is another beneficial aspect of the program.

“We host the whole year and it’s important for these students to break out of their social groups and spend some time with others and our programs allow them to do that.

When you have a group of kids doing an activity together it’s much easier for them to create friendships with people they might not hang out with,” he said. 

Students were involved in a range of activities on the day, such as fencing, table tennis, jiu jitsu, footsal and a circus performance from a clown.

Teachers from the school said that the children thoroughly enjoyed the day and they are looking to engage with other courses, such as drug prevention programs, through the PCYC. 

Police officers at the PCYC regularly visit schools in the region to educate children on community issues such as road safety, drug prevention and information. 

Duval High School has been part of the program for two years.