Module 1: Bullying Awareness Training Collection of Activities

Module 1 – Collection of activities

1.1 Workplace bullying

Activity 1.1.1 Discussion of video Short description: Common introduction to workplace bullying.

Material needed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIaepZmqShU&feature=plcp

Description of the video’s content: Two young women talk about their experiences of workplace bullying, about their feelings and about the personal consequences. Additional information is given by an expert.

Procedure: The general procedure for doing this activity can be found in the “Welcome to Let me be ME!” section (3.1 Discussion of video).

Questions to sum up:

n What happened to the two women? What bullying behaviour did they experience?

Woman 1: Bullying while working as a waitress in a pub. A manager was shouting. She was slapped in the face and told to wake up. Was intimidated, humiliated, scared.

Woman 2: Bullying in a small organization. Bully was a senior manager. Bullying was subtle: ignoring, then being nice, talking about her to another colleague while she was in the room, whispering and getting quiet when she entered the room. Withholding of information, swearing, and accusing her of having missed things.

n What were the effects of them being bullied?

Woman 1: Her self-esteem was rock bottom; the bullying affected her health (weight-loss).

Woman 2: She thought she was going mad, that she was a bad person, that she was not good enough for the job; loss of self-esteem; had to see a counsellor.

n What did the expert say about bullying? What are further effects of bullying?

Bullying impacts one’s dignity and undermines confidence; bullied people are worried about going to work, they are worried about what the boss is going to say; they feel unwell, unhappy. They are less productive and less effective at their job.

n Starting from the circumstances in the video, the trainer should start a discussion

about the general characteristics of workplace bullying. This includes a definition, emphasising the intention of the behaviour, the repetition and the unfairness. Several types of workplace bullying including some examples of trainees’ life

Module 1 – Collection of activities

should be collected. Furthermore it should be summed up, and the actors who are involved in a bullying case discussed (see summary on Worksheet 2)

End of activity: Trainees need to know the general characteristics of workplace bullying.

Activity 1.1.2 Case studies: Identification of workplace bullying Short description: With the help of case studies trainees learn to identify if a situation is bullying or not.

Material needed: worksheets 3 to 7, table of Worksheet A 1.1 in the Appendix

Procedure:

The general procedure for doing this activity can be found in the “Welcome to Let me be ME!” section (3.2 Case studies).

n The following questions are discussed:

§ Do the mentioned case studies fulfil the criteria of a bullying situation?

§ Is the mentioned behaviour intentional?

§ Is it ongoing or just a single case?

§ Is the behaviour unjustified?

§ Does the involved person feel frightened?

End of activity: Trainees need to know the differences between bullying and criticism or good natured jokes between colleagues.

Solution of worksheets 3 to 7:

Worksheet 3: Scenario 1: bullying: playing tricks, taking things

Worksheet 4: Scenario 2: no bullying: criticism

Worksheet 5: Scenario 3: bullying: exclusion, ignoring

Worksheet 6: Scenario 4: no bullying, jokes

Worksheet 7: Scenario 5: bullying: rumours, exclusion

Activity 1.1.3 Active game: Differences between bullying and criticism, jokes or a wrongdoing

Short description: Trainees learn to distinguish between behaviour which is bullying and behaviour which seems to be unjustified but when you think about it, it doesn’t fulfil the definition of bullying. It is to avoid the thoughtless use of the word “bullying”.

Module 1 – Collection of activities

Material needed: cards with the words “bullying” and “no bullying” written on it, Worksheet 8 and 9

Procedure:

The general procedure for doing this activity can be found in the “Welcome to Let me be ME!” section (3.3 Active game).

In addition:

• The trainer puts cards with “bullying” or “no bullying” written on it on the opposite walls in the room.

• Together with the trainer, trainees repeat the characteristics of bullying. The aspects of intention, repetition and unfairness should be emphasised.

• While doing the activity, the trainer confirms trainees’ judgement. If the judgement is not clear, the trainer starts a systematic discussion about the characteristics of this situation until all trainees know how to judge this situation.

• Afterwards worksheet 8 is completed and worksheet 9 is handed out as a reference.

End of activity: Trainees should know the differences between bullying situations and situations which cannot be called bullying.

Statements to read:

Repeated name-calling

Criticism of external appearance

Exclusion from events

Criticism of job performance

Stealing of things

Being forced to do others’ work

Being the butt of everybody’s jokes

Sarcastic statements

Calling people nicknames

Targeted physical attacks

Spreading of rumours

Insensitive remarks

Module 1 – Collection of activities

1.2 Cyber-bullying

Activity 1.2.1 Discussion of video: Let´s fight it together Short description: Trainees watch a video about a boy being cyber-bullied. It is a good way to showcase the different ways one (adult or child) can be cyber-bullied as it is often difficult to explain in words the exact nature of cyber-bullying. Different types of bullying and the different people involved in the bullying are shown. Furthermore there are interviews with the different people involved. The videos are discussed.

Material needed: Videos “Let’s fight it together”

http://old.digizen.org/cyberbullying/fullfilm.aspx (main video)

http://old.digizen.org/cyberbullying/kim.aspx (interview with bully)

http://old.digizen.org/cyberbullying/teacher.aspx (interview with teacher)

http://old.digizen.org/cyberbullying/mum.aspx (interview with mum)

http://old.digizen.org/cyberbullying/rob.aspx (interview with Rob, one of the bystanders)

http://old.digizen.org/cyberbullying/joe.aspx (interview with Joe)

Description of video (main video):

A teenage boy called Joe tells his story about his experiences with cyber-bullying. It shows how it started: After being complimented by the teacher for a good answer in class, his former friends start a bullying campaign against him. He receives an anonymous text message via his mobile phone, in which he is insulted. Furthermore he receives anonymous insulting emails and instant messages. Then a photo of him is sent to all his classmates (bashing). They are all laughing at him when he gets on the school bus. They also set up a fake website about him.

The video also shows how to tackle cyber-bullying: Although the boy only reported the bullying to his video diary, his mother takes action. She tells the school master about it. Furthermore the police are involved.

Procedure:

The general procedure on how to discuss a video can be found in the ”Welcome to Let me be ME!” section (3.1 Discussion of video).

• After watching the full video the following questions are discussed:

Module 1 – Collection of activities

What happened in the story?

What forms of cyber-bullying were used?

Who was involved in this cyber-bullying case?

How did Joe feel?

What solution was found to address the cyber-bullying? • After this, videos of the people involved are watched (at least interview with bully

and bystander). • Discuss their role in the bullying case:

Do you understand the bully’s reasons for bullying Joe? When did the story stop being a joke and become serious? What action could Rob, the bystander, have taken? What could he have done to support Joe? Where there other people who could have supported Joe?

End of activity: Trainees should know about different types of cyber-bullying and about the role of bystanders.

Activity 1.2.2 Case studies: Types of cyber-bullying Short description: Trainees discuss different case studies and judge which kind of cyber-bullying took place.

Material needed: case studies (see below), worksheets 12 to 15

Procedure:

The general procedure for doing this activity can be found in the ”Welcome to Let me be ME!” section (3.2 Case studies).

End of activity: Trainees should know the different types of cyber-bullying.

Solution of case studies1:

Worksheet 12: Scenario 1: Internet cyber-bullying, insulting, name calling

Worksheet 13: Scenario 2: Internet cyber-bullying, pretending to be someone else, damaging friendship

Worksheet 14: Scenario 3: cyber-bullying through mobile phone, telling of secrets

Worksheet 15: Scenario 4: Internet cyber-bullying, telling of secrets, damaging reputation

1 The case studies are following ideas of the Cybertraining for Parents-project: http://cybertraining4parents.org/

Module 1 – Collection of activities

1.3 Signs of bullying Activity 1.3.1 Discussion

Short description: Trainees discuss possible signs to identify a victim of bullying.

No material needed

Procedure:

• Trainees are told the aim of the activity: It is important to detect that someone is being bullied in order to support this person. Especially if the person does not dare to report the bullying himself.

• The trainer reads a case study to the trainees, so that everybody has the same starting point.

Your friend Mr B. has problems with his colleagues at his workplace. In the breaks he usually sits alone. The others spend their breaks together talking about private matters or doing things in the evening. Mr B. is never invited to join them and feels excluded. He has tried to start conversations with his colleagues, but they ignore him. Today he is very sad because his colleagues will meet in the evening to watch a soccer match together. Again, Mr B. is not invited.

• A discussion about Mr B. is started:

o How can a friend or a relative of Mr B. recognise that Mr B. is being bullied? o How does he feel? o Do you think that the bullying will have consequences for Mr B. feeling

comfortable in the workplace? • The main signs and symptoms of bullying are collected (see Trainers’ guide,

summary of sub-module 1.3). End of activity: Trainees should have a good idea about the possible signs of bullying.

Activity 1.3.2 Active game: Behaviour of a bully and a bullied person Short description: Trainees learn how to distinguish between the behaviour of a bullied person and that of a bully.

Material needed: cards with the words “bullied person” and “bully” on it, worksheets 18 and 19 Procedure:

The general procedure for doing this activity can be found in the ”Welcome to Let me be ME!” section (3.3 Active game).

Module 1 – Collection of activities

In addition: • Cards with the words “bullied person” and “bully” are put on two opposite walls in

the room. • Discussion: What can be done after recognising that someone may be bullied?

Statements to read: Who would show the following behaviour? • Often misses at work. • Looking for trouble. • Trying to put others down. • Often sad and down. • Getting nervous if a certain person enters the room. • Often showing aggressive behaviour. • Headaches or stomach aches. • Suddenly losing their self-confidence and becoming shy. • Having difficulties controlling their anger. • Saying he/ she wants to quit their job without saying why.

End of activity: Trainees should know what behaviour changes can take place when a person is being bullied. It should be made clear what they should do with this knowledge: Speak to the bullied person if their suspicion is right. If that person is being bullied they can act as a witness (see Module 4).

Module 1 – Collection of activities

1.4 Evaluation Activity 1.4.1 Mood Barometer2

The general description can be found in the ”Welcome to Let me be ME!” section (3.7 Evaluation activity: mood barometer).

Possible questions to ask3:

• Did you like being part of this group?

• Did you like the working in small groups?

• Did you like the discussions the whole group took part in?

• Did you like the videos?

• Did you like the games and other activities?

• Did you enjoy the worksheets?

• Do you feel informed about workplace and cyber-bullying?

• Did you learn something new in this module?

• Did you find the module’s topics interesting?

• Did you like the training course in general?

• Did you understand the trainer’s explanations?

Trainees judge the same questions on Worksheet 20.

2 Jannan, M. (2010). Das Anti-Mobbing-Buch. Weinheim: Beltz. 3 Hamburger Arbeitsassistenz (2009). kukuk plus.