Give Students the Tools to Challenge Cyberbullying - Part Three

We previously explored definitions of cyberbullying, how to have a conversation with your students on what it means to them, and how to assess prevalence of this form of online aggression at your school. If you believe this is a problem that needs further attention, you have come to the right place. In this last part we will look at peer-prevention through student cyber leaders, an evidence-based prevention method

Peer-led prevention is proven to reduce cyberbullying while being more cost-effective than other interventions (1), such as employing an expensive, external expert for a one-shot presentation. So be warned, fans of the ‘quick fix’ – you won’t find simple answers here because they don’t exist when it comes to the complex, ghost-like issue at hand. Only long-term, school-wide approaches offer the highest chance of success. At the same time, programme elements should be easy to implement and free of charge for students and parents.

• Firstly, find four to six tenth graders who have a keen interest in technology and are social leaders amongst their peers – this will ensure they are motivated, and the student body will listen to them.
• Secondly, prepare them for their role by training them and making them experts on cyberbullying – what are its risk factors and impacts on victims? What roles are involved and why is it a systemic problem that goes far beyond the main perpetrator and victim? What preventative methods are effective and how to plan and implement them? Six to twelve hours training is a good starting point, but cyber leaders will need to have a designated person they can go to for help.
• Thirdly, involve your school counsellor, psychology, technology and sociology teachers or anyone else with know-how and passion for the subject. Also make sure cyber leaders can exchange and coordinate ideas and support each other when hitting obstacles.
• Finally, here’s the genius bit – let your student cyber leaders’ creativity unfold as they design and implement interventions. A mix of class and school-wide activities assures that the whole school is reached. Go for at least two to three school-wide activities over the course of a year with more focused interventions where needed. Examples of activities are presentations, games and role play within each class, but also have cyber leaders help update school guidelines, educate teachers and parents about cyberbullying and social media, and work with families and the entire school community.

A major insight from the Australian project was that the more support cyber leaders received from the administration, the higher their impact was. It is therefore crucial you first assess the available resources, especially time and availability of qualified staff, before launching a peer-led programme. Only so, students can become the masters at busting the ghost of cyberbullying.

This blog series illuminated cyberbullying, a serious issue that deserves every school’s attention, but is too often mis-represented and misunderstood. By conceptualising it as a ‘ghost’, Lars Voellmy took the blame off of any particular party involved, explored how to recognise this form of digital violence, and how to promote changes in school culture to make the ‘ghost’ fear for its life.

1. Menesini, Ersilia/Nocentini, Annalaura/Palladino, Benedetta Emanuela (2012a). Empowering Students Against Bullying and Cyberbullying: Evaluation of an Italian Peer-led Model. In: International Journal of Conflict and Violence (IJCV) 6. p. 313–320. DOI: 10.4119/ijcv-2922.
2. Cross, Donna/Lester, Leanne/Barnes, Amy/Cardoso, Patricia/Hadwen, Kate (2015). If It’s about Me, Why Do It without Me? Genuine Student Engagement in School Cyberbullying Education. In: International Journal of Emotional Education 7. p. 35–51.