THE Wyndham Legal Service is a key partner in a forum on bullying to be held at Deakin University in Geelong on October 25.
It is being hosted by the City of Geelong in partnership with the Geelong Community Legal Service, Youthlaw, the Wyndham Legal Service and the Federation of Community Legal Centres.
“The nature of bullying is changing and permeates our schools, workplaces, leisure venues and homes,” said forum organiser, Colin Kelly, a community development worker with the Geelong Legal Service.
“Face-to-face aggressive bullying and discriminatory taunts are now only part of the problem.
“More subtle means of attacking and harassing young people deemed ‘different’ is occurring through the use of mobile phones, emails and internet sites such as You Tube.”
The forum has invited experts in a range of areas to discuss bullying and the law, schools’ and workers’ responsibilities, the impact of cyber bullying, the impact of homophobia and disability discrimination.
It is hoped the forum for teachers and workers will provide high quality professional development for participants, giving them opportunities to discuss and share ideas for preventative strategies.
“Children and young people who are the victims of this behaviour are driven into social isolation and depression, to the point of desperation where they want to commit suicide,” Mr Kelly said.
