Jeremy Rockliff,Minister for Education and Training
This week community leaders from 22 organisations took the first steps to develop a framework that will support a whole-of-community approach to stopping and preventing bullying and foster an even kinder Tasmania.
This follows a meeting in July 2019 where three key actions were agreed for further exploration. They are:
1. reaching a shared community understanding of what bullying is and is not,
2. building an evidence base, and
3. the creation of a bully-free State – a state of kindness.
Bullying occurs when an individual or a group of people with more power, repeatedly and intentionally cause hurt or harm to another person or group of people who feel helpless to respond.
The group agreed that bullying is mean, cruel and unkind behaviour that damages people. By eliminating these behaviours we will become an even more inclusive Tasmania.
At this week's meeting, the Chief Executive Officer of Brand Tasmania, Todd Babiak, led a session on Tasmania as a state of kindness.
Participants provided ideas to inform the development of a framework, including actions that could be taken across the community to help stop and prevent bullying. This information will be used to develop a draft framework for feedback by the group.
Participants agreed to continue to work together to take action on this important issue.
Representatives from the following organisations participated in the meeting:
Alannah & Madeline Foundation
Anglicare Tasmania
Catholic Education Tasmania
Commissioner for Children and Young People
Council on the Ageing Tasmania
Equal Opportunity Tasmania
Flourish
Hobart City Mission
Independent Schools Tasmania
Local Government Association of Tasmania
Mental Health Carers Tasmania
Metro Tasmania
Relationships Australia Tasmania
Salvation Army Tasmania
Tasmanian Association of State School Organisations
Tasmanian Council of Social Services
Tasmanian Greens
Tasmanian Labor
Unions Tasmania
Volunteering Tasmania
Working it Out
Youth Network of Tasmania
Representatives from Tasmanian Government agencies also participated.
