Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery has launched the next stage of the action plan against violence in schools with a confronting campaign highlighting the impact of school-yard violence.
The Minister was in Northbridge today where the first of the powerful images was installed at a bus shelter, appealing to young people and others in the community to think before liking or sharing violent vision on social media.
The bus shelter images – which show the harmful effects on young people involved when others share these graphic images – will be installed across Western Australia to help change attitudes towards violence among young people.
As part of the campaign, there will also be social media posts and advertisements visible on Facebook, Instagram and Spotify, as well as posters on display at secondary schools.
The action plan, Let’s take a stand together, was first announced late last year and in a WA first, provided principals and teachers with new tactics to manage incidents and problem behaviour.
This year every graduate teacher employed in a public school was trained on how to de-escalate and manage aggressive behaviour, as part of their induction program.
A new set of protocols to encourage open and respectful communications between parents, schools and students was also announced last month.
The community and parents can learn more about the campaign at https://www.novoicetoviolence.wa.gov.au
As stated by Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery:
“As a community, we all need to take a stand to stop violence.
“Our action plan has put in place clear tactics to address violence in our schools and we must all work together to make violence socially unacceptable to everyone, not just our young people.
“Part of the action plan is to spark a conversation about violence in schools with community leaders and others to encourage a new attitude to violence.
“This campaign encourages all of us to have an important conversation about violence and hopefully change attitudes and behaviours so fights are not liked or shared online.”
As stated by WA Council of State Schools Organisation President Kylie Catto:
“It’s important for parents to speak with their children about how their actions when filming, sharing and even liking vision of violence between students can impact negatively on those involved.
“It’s a conversation we should all be having so young people are supported and encouraged to make positive choices when they are online.”
