Intervening in Bullying Behaviour

Intervening Nine Ways To Take Direct in bullying Action behaviour Murray Irwin

First published 2013 for Savi Consulting Pty Ltd

by Centennial, a division of Publish-Me! www.publish-me.com.au info@publish-me.com.au T. +61 2 9362 8441 Murray Irwin Š 2013 This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Inquiries should be addressed to the publisher.

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry : (paperback) Author: Irwin, Murray, author.

Title: Intervening in bullying behaviour : nine ways to take direct action / Murray Irwin.

ISBN: 9780987358189 (paperback) Notes: Includes bibliographical references.

Subjects: Bullying--Australia--Prevention.

Mediation.

Problem solving.

Dewey Number: 302.343 eBook ISBN: 9780987358196

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Contents Disclaimer................................................................................................iv Preface .......................................................................................................v Introduction .............................................................................................1 1. Direct Response ..................................................................................9 2. Strengthening the Target Approach ............................................ 16 3. Mediation Approach....................................................................... 21 4. Restorative Justice Approach ........................................................ 28 5. Collaborative Problem-Solving and Resolution Approach .... 35 6. Support Group Method ................................................................ 43 7. Method of Shared Concern........................................................... 52 8. Punishment Approach.................................................................... 67 9. Referral to Authorities.................................................................... 74 10. A Decision Model for Selecting Interventions ....................... 78 References .............................................................................................. 87 Index ....................................................................................................... 90

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Disclaimer The aim of this publication is to provide general information relating to the management of bullying behaviour in a variety of general settings, situations, and circumstances. The information is intended only as a guide and does not replace appropriate professional training and adherence to ethical, professional, and legal standards and requirements.

Special care needs to be taken in situations where aggressive and/ or violent behaviour occurs or there are concerns about the safety of others. You should seek specific help from appropriate sources and professionals, if required.

This summary is provided on the understanding that the author and publisher are not engaged in rendering psychological or counselling professional services and is not providing advice for specific situations. If needed, please seek the assistance of a suitably qualified professional.

The author and the publisher accept no responsibility or liability for the actions of any person who may use the information in this publication.

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Preface How would you go about improving your health and fitness? What about losing weight? You might: t Take up playing a team or individual sport t Start doing regular exercise, like walking, running, going to the gym, or swimming t Cut down on using the car by bike riding or walking t Eat more fresh vegetables and fruit t Monitor the types of food you eat t Stop eating foods that are high in fat and sugar t Eat a more balanced diet t Reduce the size of portions you eat t Cut out snacks and snack foods t Avoid drinking alcohol t Stop drinking high-sugar or energy drinks t Reward yourself when you reach a specific goal t Get yourself a personal trainer or training partner t Punish yourself in some way when you do not do the right thing This list shows that there are many ways of achieving the change you seek – some might work for you while others might not. In most cases, one option is not going to be enough and you will need a combination of positive strategies. Few of us would choose to impose self-punishment as a way of motivating ourselves to change our behaviour. A positive approach will usually be more successful.

So what does this have to do with bullying behaviour?

When most people are trying to change someone’s bullying behaviour, the first thing they think is that the bully must be punished. Sure, consequences are needed sometimes, but will it create lasting change in behaviour? Maybe, but if punishment is unlikely to help you to change your health and fitness levels, then it is unlikely to help change someone else’s behaviour.

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The second point is that simply having one solution is unlikely to work – you usually need to employ a range of options to solve complex problems.

This book is about giving you that range of options when you need to intervene and change others’ bullying behaviour.

Introduction This guide is for those who want to find ways to deal with bullying behaviour as it occurs – or after it occurs. It summarises nine ways in which you can intervene, along with each methods strength and weaknesses. The last chapter presents a model to help decide if or when an intervention should, or could, be used. The intention is to provide help in dealing with this difficult range of behaviours by providing a selection of interventions from which to choose.

The prevailing stereotype of bullying behaviour occurs among school children, either calling each other names, using stand-over tactics, or being excluding from joining in with the others. Recent research shows that this is far from the truth. Bullying behaviour occurs frequently in school and education institutions, but it is also found in the workplace, social media, sports fields, volunteer committees, websites, boardrooms, and homes (Duffy & Sperry 2012, p. 30; Monks & Coyne 2011, p. 2) – in short, just about anywhere.

This guide can help anyone who has to deal with the consequences from those using bullying behaviour. It is important to understand what is covered in this guide and what is not.

What this guide is

This guide deals solely with interventions that address bullying and mobbing behaviours, after they have occurred. Its focus is on what a teacher, manager, supervisor, coach, leader, chairperson, volunteer committee member, or peer leader can do at the individual level to address a case of bullying behaviour. The interventions are described, along with the strengths and weakness of each method. Selected references are also provided to help when you may need additional information.

You will find the following nine interventions described: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Direct response Strengthening the target Mediation Restorative justice

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Intervening in bullying behaviour: Nine ways to take direct action

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Collaborative problem-solving and resolution Support group method Method of shared concern Punishment Referral to authorities

With all these options available, it can be difficult to decide when a specific option should or should not be used. Understanding the practical and theoretical strengths and weaknesses of each will help you make these decisions. To help understand the relationship between the options, the Response Options for Bullying Behaviour (ROBB) model is also discussed. ROBB places all the interventions in a theoretical hierarchy and provides a range of practical indictors to use when deciding which intervention might be most appropriate for the situation you face.

What this guide is not

Bullying behaviour and mobbing can do untold damage, and there are plenty of stories about extreme cases, as well as less serious incidents. These are covered in a number of other books about bullying and mobbing behaviours. If you are unsure of what constitutes bullying or mobbing behaviour, a summary of various examples of bullying behaviour is provided below. However, you will not find a formal definition here, as this can depend on the individual situation, organisation, and state in which you live. It is more meaningful to seek information concerning your own local policies, laws and definitions.

This guide does not cover the range of topics, background information and research that can be found in a number of other publications. It does not cover such subjects as who uses bullying behaviour, who are the targets, how big a problem it is, the terrible effects it has on targets, the related law, risk factors, establishing prevention strategies, bullying behaviour policies and procedures, or personal therapy for targets. It does not cover establishing an organisation-wide program to reducing bullying behaviour. All of this information is very important, and can be found in other publications, such as those listed in the reference pages.

Introduction

Why only discuss interventions?

This book was born out of frustration while searching for interventions that could be used to help solve this difficult problem. Most books on this subject contained just a single chapter on interventions or, in some cases, devoted the whole content to covering one particular type of intervention in depth.

To be fair, it was never the aim of those authors to focus solely on interventions; they intended to cover a range of topics. However, there lacked a comprehensive review of possible interventions or discussion comparing the strengths and weaknesses of each.

This book addresses the need to bring together a range of interventions for easy reference and comparison. To achieve this, many other important topics are not discussed, as they are already available in other publications. This book also recognises the difficulty you might have in choosing between the different approaches and offers help by giving you a model to compare the strengths, weaknesses, and inter relationships.

Examples of bullying behaviour t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t

Inappropriate language Abusive language Inappropriate physical contact Biting Hair pulling Hitting Kicking Pinching Punching Pushing Scratching Spitting Tripping Fighting; assault Sexual harassment; sexual assault Defiance by delaying response Defiance through refusal Disrespect

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Intervening in bullying behaviour: Nine ways to take direct action

t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t

Disruption, repeated disruption Lying; cheating Teasing Occasional lateness (several minutes) Persistent lateness (lengthy delays in arrival) Property misuse/damage Forgery Theft Threats involving weapons Bomb threats Arson threats or attacks Inappropriate humour Racist remarks Name calling Ignoring Threats to harm Locking out or in room Extorting money or possessions Intimidation Sexually suggestive language Spreading false or malicious rumours Rude gestures Facial expressions; ‘looks’ Manipulating/ruining friendships Excluding, ignoring, or isolating Sending poisonous notes Hiding possessions Using possessions without consent Making a person late Providing them incorrect information on purpose Being critical of performance for no reason Shouting at others Unrealistic expectations of the person’s performance Encouraging others to continue inappropriate behaviours Inciting others to undertake inappropriate behaviours Inappropriate sounds or noises Practical jokes

Introduction

t Circulating images or information that threatens, offends, or intimidates t Withholding information necessary to perform duties t Deliberately setting tasks above or below a person’s capability t Blaming others who are not involved t Victimising others t Requiring others to break or bend rules or procedures t Forcing others to do things they do not want to do t Hurtful graffiti t Amending photos to make them offensive, or to cause ridicule or hurt t Videoing actions for the purpose of distributing to offend, ridicule, or hurt t Stealing boyfriends/girlfriends to hurt others t Establishing web-based material to hurt others t Using phones and the internet to send or distribute inappropriate or hurtful messages t Following or stalking t Blocking access or movement t Repeatedly whispering when others walk past t Using nicknames that are inappropriate, offensive, or unwanted t Using putdowns to describe the person

What is mobbing?

Mobbing has a range of meanings when related to bullying behaviour (Beyondbullying.com.au 2009). Sometimes the term mobbing is used interchangeably with bullying, and, in some cases, to indicate workplace-based bullying behaviour. At times, it may be used to indicate that a group is using bullying behaviours. It can also mean that an organisation is supporting those using the bullying behaviours by ignoring, condoning, or even helping those using the bullying behaviour (Duffy and Sperry 2012, pp. 46-48). When a target of bullying behaviour is blamed by others for the treatment they receive – blaming the victim – this, too, can be termed mobbing.

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Intervening in bullying behaviour: Nine ways to take direct action

The use of mobbing in this guide is used to describe bullying behaviours used by a group towards a target or targets. This is the most general meaning of the term, but differentiates it from bullying behaviour. Should an organisation support or fail to act in instances of bullying behaviour, then it, too, becomes part of the group that is mobbing the target. The key difference here is that bullying behaviour indicates a single user whereas mobbing indicates a group.

Background to the interventions

The education system has been a leader in bullying behaviour research and interventions for over 30 years. It is now recognised that the problem is not limited to schools, but is evident in every aspect of our society. While most of the interventions discussed here have a history of being used in school settings, they can just as easily be used in a wider variety of settings. Liefooghe and Roongrergsuke (2012, p. 288) argue that bullying behaviour in the workplace and in schools share similarities and it makes sense for the two areas to cooperate more, and draw on each other for research and practices.

There is a wide range of bullying behaviours used and possibly for an even wider range of reasons. To expect that one type of intervention can handle every type of situation is to seriously underestimate the complexity of the issue. When you compare the strengths and weaknesses of the different interventions, it becomes clear that one method cannot handle all situations.

The research available regarding the evaluation of outcomes of the different interventions is currently quite limited, which makes it very difficult to compare their effectiveness. At the present time, comparison relies more heavily on the known strengths and weaknesses. With a complex problem and no definitive evaluation evidence to guide us, the best we can do at this stage is to make judgement calls based on the facts that are know to us. By using our judgement, we can build a body of knowledge and experience to help us decide what works and when. To help you do that, the nine interventions and ROBB model provide you a base from which to improve and build your judgement and abilities in handling bullying and mobbing behaviours.

Introduction

How we name things matters

The way we describe and talk about bullying behaviour is important.

Sullivan (2011, p. 39) raises concerns about labelling both bullies and victims in school settings, because it may create a ‘once a bully/victim always a bully/victim mind set’. This labelling also leads to only looking at what is lacking in the bullying behaviour user or the target, rather than the whole picture and complexity of the issue.

Similarly, Capponcchia and Wyatt (2011, pp. 48-49) see issues in simply blaming individuals in the workplace without looking at the systemic factors, such as organisational culture.

There is a huge range of behaviours that fall under the category of bullying, and the severity can vary substantially. We often stereotype and focus on the more extreme types of bullying behaviour and discount or overlook less severe behaviours as not being psychological or physical hazards.

There is sometimes a tendency to treat bullying behaviour as if it were a personality disorder. Freeman and Rigby (2006, p. 441) note that arguments for not labelling disorders in children and adolescence include that it causes people to ‘quickly give up on the child without trying to help’. Blaming bullying behaviour on someone’s personality, whether it is a child or an adult, makes it more difficult to address the problem. It is important to focus on the actual behaviour that needs to change, rather than use pop psychology terms to label and treat the person as mentally unwell.

Thinking only about the inappropriate behaviour rather than the person’s personality will help make it easier to create change, because all that needs to change is the behaviour.

Our language needs to reflect these issues, but also ensure that people are held responsible for their actions. The terms used to try and address these issues are: t t t t t t

Bullying behaviour User of bullying behaviour or user Bullying behaviour user Suspected bullying behaviour user or suspect Target of bullying behaviour or target Witness to bullying behaviour or witness

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t Bystander – someone who witnesses bullying behaviour (there are a number of types of bystanders, however it is beyond the scope of this guide to identify each of them) t Practitioner – someone who addresses bullying behaviour (e.g., teachers, supervisors, managers, leaders, coaches, etc.) t Organisation – used in its widest sense, meaning simply an organised group of people (e.g., team, workplace, sports group, school, committee, board, etc.)

Chapter 1

Direct Response

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Intervening in bullying behaviour: Nine ways to take direct action

There are times when you actually see the bullying behaviour when it occurs. It is vital that, any time this type of behaviour is witnessed, action is taken to address it. This not only supports the target, but also helps the user learn that it is not okay to use that type of behaviour.

The following options allow you to take action immediately.

Aim

To address the bullying behaviour at the time it occurs in a way that focuses on the person’s behaviour and how it can change.

Implementation

When you witness bullying behaviour, there are four basic types of responses that could be used. These aim to swap the bullying behaviour for something that is appropriate. These send the message that what is happening is not okay and may even provide negative consequences for using the behaviour. Each of the four responses can be changed by using slightly different strategies to provide a wider range of options.

i. Coaching

As the word suggests this is about talking to the person displaying bullying behaviour in a supportive way and giving one-to-one feedback. Using a coaching style, you demonstrate what is required, show why their behaviour is not okay, make suggestions, give advice, discuss areas to improve, get them to reflect, and encourage or motivate them to change. The tone in which the conversation takes place is very important in making this a learning opportunity and not a telling-off. For example: ‘Can we have a quick chat? I just noticed the way you … and that is not really okay.’

‘The way you … is not really acceptable, because …. Can you think of another way of being able to …?’

Direct response

‘One way I find helpful in getting what you were trying to say across is …’

‘What seems to be the matter?’

The conversation can be started by questioning what is going on to get more information and a better understanding of what other factors might be involved. It should then lead to discussing or reflecting on how that type of behaviour erodes respect, trust, and the relationship. It is also a good time to explain any policies, rules, and expectations concerning how everyone needs to treat each other.

Coaching is best done away from others so that it remains private; however, it needs to be balanced against the need to let the target know that you are dealing with the situation and that you publicly show that bullying behaviour is not tolerated and is dealt with. Simply stating, ‘That behaviour is not okay’, in public, and then drawing the person away for a coaching session, can give you that balance.

Using ‘I’ messages can help to communicate more effectively and avoid problems. This is because using the word ‘I’ helps prevent you from using putdowns or potentially blaming others. Best of all, you can teach others to use them and help them to avoid creating problems through bad communication.

I-messages use the following sentence structure: ‘I feel … (name the feeling) when … (describe the situation or behaviour).’

For example: ‘I feel angry when people tease others about where they were born.’

‘I feel disappointed and let down when people resort to calling others offensive names’, ‘I feel shocked when a mature adult spreads untrue gossip about others.’

I-messages specifically exclude the words ‘you’ or ‘your’ from the whole sentence. The reason is when people hear the ‘you’, they feel

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Intervening in bullying behaviour: Nine ways to take direct action

blamed and are less likely to listen or change (for more information see Irwin, 2012). I-messages help the situation by explaining the person’s feelings, describing the behaviour or situation that leads to those feelings, not judging the person, and rarely makes the situation worse. Having open communication about feelings and behaviours will help build understanding and promote finding a solution.

ii. Challenging

Challenging aims to draw attention to and promote reflection about the behaviour. It asks the user of the bullying behaviour to think about what they have just done. Asking, ‘Hey, do you think [a behaviour] is [fair/respectful/okay]?’ presents the user with a challenge. This may or may not include your own value judgement on the behaviour, depending on the tone and body language used.

If the tone is a query, then this provides an opportunity to discuss the situation. Using a ‘that’s not okay’ tone lets the person know that you do not accept that type of behaviour. The same goes with the body language – a puzzled or enquiring look with hands in the air, palms up, sends a more questioning signal. Frowning and pointing the finger does the opposite.

Hopefully, the person comes to the right conclusion about their behaviour and you can move on. If not, you may have to give your interpretation or value judgement about the behaviour. You can also refer to the expectations within your organisation’s behaviour agreement or policy.

iii. Reprimand

This is a direct statement that you judge the behaviour inappropriate.

It gives immediate feedback that it is unacceptable. ‘That is not okay,’ or ‘That is disrespectful,’ are examples of reprimands. A value judgement is used with a clear demand that the behaviour must change. You may need to actually name the behaviour (e.g., using putdowns, shouting at others) to make sure they know what needs to change.

Direct response

iv. Consequences

Using bullying behaviour might lead to imposing a consequence on the user, something they would usually avoid. Consequences can include a range of possibilities, such as loss of privileges, extra work, or exclusion for a period of time. This would depend on the type of organisation and the persons involved.

Schools might use time-outs, require additional homework, or exclude the offender from favoured activities, like excursions.

Workplaces may need to consider workplace laws and use remedial training, issuance of warnings, and reduction in performance-related pay. Sports clubs might consider denying privileges, instituting temporary player bans, using fines, or requiring additional training requirements.

It works best if the consequence is logical and directly related to the type of behaviour you want to change. For a social club, temporary exclusion is more logical for poor social behaviour than issuing a fine, as it targets the key benefit of being in the club. A fine may not have the same significance, because it carries no social impact, the offender might easily afford it, or they do not care as much about the money.

Consequences should be scaled based on the severity and number of occurrences of the behaviour. Opportunities to change should be provided within reason before consequences are issued, and they should never involve physical aggression. (This is discussed further in chapter eight, Punishment Approach.)

Summary The above responses form the foundation to deal with bullying behaviour. When instances occur, you should deal with them quickly and at the time, if possible. The focus needs to be on the behaviour and not the person using it, in order to avoid being drawn into ‘personalities’. Letting this type of behaviour occur without saying or doing anything encourages a climate of poor behaviour within an organisation.

There may be times when the above responses are useful even after the event. If an incident is reported to you, these still might be your first/best option to try, depending on the circumstances.

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The simplest approach is normally the best. However, if the case is ongoing, it will more likely benefit from a different intervention.

Also see: A number of the questions suggested in the restorative justice approach discussed in chapter four, would also work well in a coaching setting. In addition, a restorative ‘chat’ with the target and bullying behaviour user might be useful immediately after the event rather than using one of the above direct-response options.

See chapter four for more details.

Strengths

t Immediately addressing the behaviour as it occurs increases the likelihood of any consequence being more effective (Baldwin & Baldwin 1998, p. 69) t Shows bystanders what behaviour is unacceptable and that it will be addressed t Investigating and asking questions about the specific incident helps determine any underlying causes for the behaviour t The target cannot be labelled an informer t Helps promote a positive and respectful organisational culture t Offers different ways in which they can change their behaviour t Can deter others from using those behaviours t Is a well-understood and accepted practice t Reinforces existing behaviour policy or agreements within the organisation

Weaknesses

t Requires the behaviour to occur where it is witnessed t Requires ongoing monitoring to identify behaviours t May not capture other behaviours leading up to the event witnessed t The behaviour witnessed may have been the target retaliating to prior events e.g. user provokes them into responding with inappropriate behaviour. This can victimise

Direct response

t

t t t

the target further because they are the one receiving the consequences, while the instigator has been able to create a situation where they are seen as the target. (Be sure to investigate the whole situation to avoid this occurring.)

Does not allow practitioner much time to consider different ways of responding. (Note that you could temporarily delay dealing with consequences, e.g., ‘That behaviour is not okay. I want to discuss this further but not at the moment.

We will meet up in half an hour to deal with it.’)

Needs to be consistently applied by all practitioners throughout the organisation Seeing the event can generate an emotional response in the practitioner that is unhelpful, e.g., getting angry and being overly punitive Issuing consequences can become the default type of response

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Chapter 2

Strengthening the Target Approach

Strengthening the target approach

Strengthening the target involves you using training programs and counselling to help targets cope and move on from their situation.

Strengthening programs aim to build confidence, verbal and physical skills, and support networks.

Aim

To support the target emotionally and develop in them the skills to avoid or resolve the behaviour themselves.

Implementation

Training groups may be run for selected individuals who are targets or vulnerable to becoming targets, or it can be for a whole group.

Sports associations might run training for various members of different clubs or train all club members. Schools might focus only on targets or involve the whole class, while workplaces might help individuals or incorporate whole business units.

The strengthening approach can also involve one-to-one counselling and support, including therapy. This is particularly important if the target is suffering from physical, emotional, and/or psychological trauma from the bullying behaviour. In some cases, the way the target interacts socially may contribute to their being targeted and this approach gives them support to improve their own behaviour.

While the target might provoke the bullying behaviour, it is still critical to affirm that the bullying behaviour itself is not okay and deal with it. In this instance, the target might need to change some of their behaviours also, as two wrongs do not make a right.

The focus is on building positive, cooperative social behaviours (prosocial skills), confidence and resilience (Field 1999; Rigby 2010, p.47–51). In some cases the aim is to help the target ‘become less vulnerable’ (Rigby 2010, p. 46). Strengthening programs can include topics covering building confidence, verbal skills, physical skills and support networks.

Building confidence can involve increasing emotional intelligence, better understanding feelings, and helping targets understand behaviour that reduces the likelihood of being targeted and/or increases positive social interactions.

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Chapter 3

Mediation Approach

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Intervening in bullying behaviour: Nine ways to take direct action

contributes by managing the situation poorly. If you make things worse by victimising the target through mediation, you become part of the problem.

Accordingly, it is important to choose carefully when to use mediation. Make sure that the issue is worthy, there exists no notable power difference, the target feels safe, and the cause is due to an underlying conflict. It is best used when the user and target volunteer to be involved. You can achieve this by explaining how the process works and asking whether they want to participate.

Running mediation

The first step is to plan how best to run the mediation. Identify when and where you will do this and refresh your memory on the steps you need to take.

Important elements of the mediation process1 include: t t t t t t t t t t

1

Describing actions Describing feelings relating to the described actions Recognition by everyone involved of the mutual problem Appreciating that this is not a win/lose situation or a compromise in which someone’s needs are not met Avoiding use of a power play, which might generate an outcome but, in the process, destroy the relationship Not using intimidation, which destroys trust Completion in an emotionally and physically safe environment Promoting a future focus for actions and moving on, rather than attributing blame Awareness that mediation will not work if significant fear exists, if there is a significant history of abuse, or if one or both parties do not wish to participate Not requiring people to apologise, although they can do so if they wish – it is about developing a common understanding of how actions affect the parties

Adapted from Gibbs 1994; Johnson & Johnson 2000; McKay, Davis & Fanning 1983; Tillet & French 2006; and Sullivan 2011.

Chapter 4

Restorative Justice Approach

Restorative justice approach

Six stages

There are six stages for constructing a restorative meeting (Thorsborue & Vinegrad 2009):

i) Engagement

You need to help all parties see the benefit of using this process and help them understand it. By preparing them, they will have more constructive involvement. The process is likely to involve intense emotions, and participants need to be prepared for this and helped to focus those emotions in ways that are not destructive. Both prior to and at the start of the meeting, you will need to engage and establish the ground rules. For example: ‘This discussion is not about trying to punish anyone. What it is about is discussing what happened, how it affected everyone, and what to do in the future. We have all agreed to be respectful and listen to each other.’

ii) Reflection

You are trying to encourage thinking about the situation as well as developing empathy. Reflection uses the What questions listed above to uncover what occurred, but avoids the use of Why questions because these have been found to be ineffective (Thorsborue & Vinegrad 2009, p. 45). Given the meaning and cultural understanding of the word ‘why’, the bullying behaviour user may feel that the questioner is more focused on identifying or attributing blame. When they feel blamed, they are more likely to try and justify their actions, which hinders self-reflection and empathy.

iii) Understanding

You give the target the opportunity to talk about the impact and the harm that has been caused to them. This again uses What questions to help the target outline what happened and the effects. From this, the bullying behaviour user can gain an understanding of how their behaviour affected the target.

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Chapter 5

Collaborative ProblemSolving and Resolution Approach

Chapter 6

Support Group Method

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Intervening in bullying behaviour: Nine ways to take direct action

The Support Group Method (SGM) developed by Maines & Robinson (2010) avoids direct confrontation with the bullying behaviour user(s) while still getting them to understand the impact of their behaviour. It looks for solutions to the problem rather than focusing on blaming the bullying behaviour user. By getting a peer group to help in this process, it uses positive peer influence to promote change.

Aim

To build empathy and use positive peer influence in a selected peer group so they take shared responsibility for changing the bullying behaviour.

Implementation

Once the behaviour has been reported and the target interviewed, a meeting is held with a group of peers. This group contains the suspected bullying behaviour user(s) and others likely to support the target or show positive social leadership. After reassuring everyone in the group that no one is to be disciplined, the meeting aims to build empathy by focusing on how the target is feeling – it is not used to shame, to assess blame, or solicit an apology.

Once the target’s feelings and situation are explained, you ask for suggestions on what group members can do personally to help the target and improve the situation. Good ideas are encouraged, but no specific expectations are placed on individuals to carry out their ideas. The focus is on how good it is that individuals in the group are going to do something to help. It is left to the group to carry out the suggestions.

Follow-up is carried out some days later with the target and the group members to see whether things have improved. If so, a final meeting of the group can be arranged to thank them for supporting the target. If not, further work, using the intervention or changing to a different approach, might be required. The developers, Maines & Robinson, provide a seven-step process to follow.

Chapter 7

Method of Shared Concern

Method of shared concern

The method of shared concern (MSC) was developed by Anatol Pikas (1998, 2002) for cases where a group is using bullying behaviour. A major difference to other interventions is that this one aims to protect the target from retaliation by taking action without relying on direct information from the target. It is based upon either someone else reporting the problem or you directly observing the behaviour.

Once you know about the issue, it is crucial that you do not begin addressing it by first interviewing the target, in order to avoid the chance they might be harassed for telling. Instead, the group of suspected bullying behaviour users are met with individually.

These meetings focus on reports or observations that the target is experiencing problems – specifically, emphasis that the source of the information is not the target – and asking the suspected perpetrators what they may have noticed.

As soon as they acknowledge the target is having issues, you ask them what they could do personally to help the situation. Once the suspect suggests something helpful, they are thanked and encouraged to carry out the suggestion. It is important that the group is interviewed quickly, over a very short span of time, using the same approach.

After the suspects are individually interviewed, you can interview the target to gain more details. You would advise the target that you have already spoken to all of the individuals in the group and that a number of them offered suggestions to improve the situation. You ask the target to look out for these changes, but it is left to the group to carry out their suggestions. Follow-up is carried out later, individually, with each group member as well as the target.

Once things start to improve, a meeting with the whole group of suspects is arranged. They are thanked for their help and more ideas are sought to further improve things for the target. Any issues, such as provocation from the target, can then be discussed. After continued improvement, a summit meeting with the group and the target can be arranged to close the matter, if necessary.

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Chapter 8

Punishment Approach

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Intervening in bullying behaviour: Nine ways to take direct action

Punishment is likely to be the approach that instantly comes to mind when people think about how to deal with bullying behaviour: someone has done wrong and they should be punished for it. It is a widely used and easily understood approach, but this does not mean it is always a successful remedy. As discussed in the preface, it may not be the most effective way of changing behaviour. However, while other options can be more successful, there will be times when punishment is the only sensible course of action, due to the severity of the behaviour.

Aim

To discourage and deter behaviours by providing consequences in response to the use of bullying behaviour.

Implementation

The use of punishment is linked to the expectations that a group or organisation has in terms of how it wants its members to behave. An agreement or policy is used to define what behaviour is acceptable and often outlines the consequences for inappropriate behaviour.

Implementing a system of punishment within an organisation requires the following steps: t Establishing rules and policies based on a holistic organisational approach: possibly based on the organisation’s own guidelines for behaviour, or laws and requirements that it needs to follow. Possible punishments are also developed. t Training and information is provided to everyone about the rules and expectations. t Implementing a system of ongoing monitoring and a process to report problems. t Implementing a process to investigate breaches, judge culpability, and apply punishment, if proven.

The types of consequences used as punishment differ significantly, depending on the type of organisation. For example: r Schools might use verbal reprimands, require apology letters, apply a time-out from normal activities, institute a

Punishment approach

loss of privileges, segregate the offender for a period of time, request parent involvement, or order detention, suspension, or expulsion. r Workplaces might use verbal reprimands, conflict mediation, coaching, counselling, retraining, additional training and skills development, written reprimands and warnings, probation/performance monitoring, demotion, and dismissal. r Sports clubs might use verbal reprimands, loss of privileges, conflict mediation, coaching, counselling, written reprimands and warnings, fines, demotion, and suspensions or cancellation of membership.

The use of punishment might be linked to laws in your particular jurisdiction. For example, some states have specific laws that deal with bullying behaviour. Behaviours such as aggression, sexual and racial harassment, and violence are likely to be covered by specific laws, even though they could also be considered under a bullying behaviour law. In situations where potentially unlawful behaviour occurs, referral to authorities may be required, and those authorities would become responsible for investigating and dealing with the situation. (This is discussed in greater detail in the following chapter.)

Organisations may have a duty under law to deal with bullying behaviour. Under health and safety laws, they might need to demonstrate they maintain a safe workplace and, to do so, need to take action against bullying behaviour. For schools, there is likely to be a duty of care in ensuring students feel safe.

Apart from instances where legal action is required, taking action should be considered a moral obligation for all organisations due to the impact bullying behaviour has on targets.

With organisations needing to show they are taking effective action, it is important to establish rules and policies. A range of consequences is needed, as not all cases are the same. In some cases, the consequences might include taking part in some of the response approaches covered in previous chapters. Active participation in mediation might be a consequence for bullying behaviour, or

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Summary

There is no doubt that punishment has its uses, however, it should be considered less a first option and more of a last resort. In serious situations, a proper investigation should be undertaken that protects and respects the rights of all concerned. Only then can an appropriate punishment be determined, based on the individual case.

Strengths t t t t

Uses a holistic organisational approach Has wide community support and appeal Is easily understood Is shown to be more successful with younger children (Rigby 2010, p. 42) t Simple to implement a solution by issuing consequence t Provides suitable consequences in severe cases t Provides the opportunity for case-appropriate consequences

Weaknesses

t Lack of evidence that it works effectively in schools (Rigby 2010, p. 40) t Can foster a simplistic ‘set and forget’ approach because, once rules are written, the problem is deemed to be fixed t Strongly associated with zero-tolerance approaches, which, based on a 20-year APA review, have shown to lack evidence to support its success in schools t Possible lack of reporting of incidents because of widespread reliance on disciplinary approaches, leading to lack of confidence in handling incidents, or the perception that consequences may be too harsh t Behavioural studies show that, to be effective, punishment responses need to occur as soon as possible after the act, something that is often delayed by the investigation process t Difficulty in framing rules that capture indirect bullying behaviour, e.g., exclusion from group t Unintended consequences by capturing acceptable behaviour, e.g., not inviting a person to a birthday party being captured under rules to stop the exclusion of others

Chapter 9

Referral to Authorities

Referral to authorities

Bullying behaviour can, in some situations, be unlawful. Depending on the state or country in which you live, there may be laws specifically designed to stop bullying behaviour or a particular type of behaviour, such as violence threats. There are systems by which you can get help to ensure the law is enforced. An option for bullying behaviour situations is to seek independent external help from the relevant authorities. This might, for example, be by reporting threats to the police or, where a workplace’s health and safety law is involved, to a workplace safety authority. This allows trained investigators to become involved, as well as ensuring illegal activities are dealt with appropriately.

Aim

To refer all serious or potentially illegal behaviour to the appropriate authorities.

Implementation

This option is closely related to the punishment approach and relies on: t established laws, rules and policies t (at times) training and information about the rules and expectations t ongoing monitoring and the ability to report problems t a system to investigate breaches, judge culpability, and implement punishment It is important to understand who establishes the laws and enforces them. Organisations are required to act within the law and internal policies and behaviour agreements should be the result of what the law imposes upon them. If you are acting in a role where you supervise others, making sure others act lawfully is an expectation that often goes unstated. It may be your role to assess the seriousness of the bullying behaviour and what level of risk it poses to the target.

Behaviours that are potentially illegal, aggressive, or violent may need to be referred to the appropriate authorities.

Behaviours to consider for referral might include physical aggression or violence, the use of weapons, theft, damage to property, threats to harm or kill, stalking, sexual assault, sexting,

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Chapter 10

A Decision Model for Selecting Interventions

A decision model for selecting interventions

As we’ve discussed, given the range and difficulty of bullying behaviour, one response method will never suit all situations.

Mastering the range of approaches covered in this guide is likely to be the only way to fully address this complexity and help make serious inroads to reduce bullying behaviour. The challenge is to work out which approach is the most suitable for each situation.

The Response Options to Bullying Behaviour (ROBB) model helps in understanding the strengths of various approaches and when they might best be used.

Aim

To help practitioners assess a range of indicators to guide them to select appropriate response options.

Using the model

The ROBB model maps all the intervention options into a hierarchy, using the severity of a range of indicators to help select an intervention. It requires the practitioner to assess the situation and what they know about the incident(s). First, each case is assessed to identify whether the bullying behaviour is being used by an individual or a group. Second, five indicators are considered, and an estimate made of how much impact each indicator has. Last, the highest-rated indicator is cross-referenced with the intervention options relevant to either the individual’s or group’s bullying behaviour responses. The outcome is that, the higher the indicator rating, the higher the level of response is needed.

The ROBB model is summarised in the following diagram. It lists the nine approaches that we have explored (direct response, strengthening, mediation, restorative justice, support group method, method of shared concern, collaborative problem-solving and resolution, punishment, and referral to authorities) in a hierarchy based on theory and the practical strengths and weaknesses of the different interventions. The higher up the diagram, the more intensive the intervention.

The left and right halves of the diagram identify whether the bullying behaviour user is a single person or a group, and for each half there is a list of key indicators to consider. These indicate the

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level of severity of the bullying behaviour – the greater the severity, the higher up it is on the diagram.

Individuals using bullying behaviour

The left-hand side represents cases where individuals are using bullying behaviour, the indicators being: t t t t t

severity of bullying behaviour power difference between the user and the target level of fear felt by the target lack of empathy felt for the target lack of remorse felt by the bullying behaviour user

A decision model for selecting interventions

Severity of behaviour

The type of bullying behaviour used is the starting point when considering the most appropriate response. If the behaviour is physically aggressive or even violent, then punishment or referral is most appropriate. To try and strengthen the target or force them to undertake mediation is effectively blaming the target and indicating that they are doing something wrong, when, in fact, it is the bullying behaviour that is unacceptable.

The severity might comprise several instances of minor bullying behaviour or those that have been occurring over a long period of time, thereby increasing the level of severity. If the behaviour only occurs when the bullying behaviour user and target are in the same physical space, this could be considered less severe when compared to the target being followed, stalked, or cyber-bullied outside of those instances when the two parties typically come in contact. To track down the target so they can be bullied indicates a stronger intent and therefore more severity.

Power difference

A number of the approaches rely on the bullying behaviour user and the target to meet face to face and discuss the situation. The difference in power between the two parties has a substantial impact on the possibility of reaching a fair outcome, such as when you use an approach like mediation. Power might come from a number of sources, such as the level of influence they have over others, information they possess, age, position within a group or organisation, personal relationships with others who have power, or levels of experience.

There are always going to be some implied differences in power (Capponcchia & Wyatt 2011, p. 8) as, basically, bullying behaviour is using some type of behaviour to gain power over a target (Duffy & Sperry 2012, p. 45). What is important to determine is the level of difference when deciding on an approach. Attempting to strengthen the target when the power difference is too large is not going to change the situation and may result in the target being blamed for not standing up for themselves. Seeking to mediate when the user

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References Ahmed, E. and Brathwaite, V. (2006). Forgiveness, reconciliation, and shame: Three key variables in reducing school bullying. Journal of Social Issues, 62(2), 347–370.

American Psychological Association (APA) Zero Tolerance Task Force (2008).

Are Zero Tolerance Policies Effective in the Schools? An Evidentiary Review and Recommendations. American Psychologist, Vol. 63, No. 9, 852–862.

Baldwin, John D. and Baldwin, Janice I. (1998). Behaviour Principles in Everyday Life (3rd ed.). New Jersey, USA: Prentice-Hall.

Barter, Christine. (2011). Peer violence in residential children’s homes. In Monks, Clair P. and Coyne, Iain (Eds.) Bullying in Different Contexts. (pp. 61–86). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Beyondbullying.com.au (2009). http://www.beyondbullying.com.au/announcements/bullying-vs-mobbingjanuary-2009 (accessed 22/2/2013).

Burssens, D. and Vettenburg, N. (2006). Restorative group conferencing at school: A constructive response to serious incidents. Journal of School Violence, 5, 5–16 cited in Kowalski, R.M., Limber, S.P. & Agatston, P.W. (2012, p. 184) Cyberbullying: Bullying in the Digital Age (2nd ed.). West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.

Capponcchia, Carolo, and Wyatt, Anne (2011). Preventing Workplace Bullying: An Evidence-based Guide for Managers and Employees. Crows Nest, Australia: Allen & Unwin.

Duffy, Maureen and Sperry, Len. (2012). Mobbing: Causes, consequences and solutions. New York: Oxford University Press.

Field, Evelyn M. (1999). Bully Busting: How to help children deal with teasing and bullying. Lane Cove, Australia: Finch Publishing Freeman, Arthur and Rigby, Andrea (2006). Personality Disorders among Children and Adolescents. Is it an unlikely diagnosis? In Mark A. Reinecke, Frank M. Dattilio and Arthur Freeman (Eds.) Cognitive Therapy with Children and Adolescents (2nd ed.). (pp. 434–464). New York: Guildford Press.

Gibbs, Jeanne (1994). Tribes: A New Way of Learning Together. Santa Rosa, USA: Center Source Publications.

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Intervening in bullying behaviour: Nine ways to take direct action Holtham, Jeannette (2009). Taking Restorative Justice to Schools: A Doorway to Discipline. USA: Del Hayes Press.

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Kowalski, R.M., Limber, S.P. & Agatston, P.W. (2012). Cyberbullying: Bullying in the Digital Age (2nd ed.). West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.

Liefooghe, Andreas and Roongrergsuke, Siriyupa (2012). Systematic Suffering. In Noreen, Tehrani (Ed.) Workplace Bullying: Symptoms and Solutions (pp. 278–290). Hove, East Sussex: Routledge.

Maines, Barbara and Robinson, George (2010). The Support Group Method Training Pack. London: Sage McKay, Matthew; Davis, Martha; and Fanning, Patrick (1983). Messages: The Communication Skills Book. Oakland, USA: New Harbinger Publications.

Meyer, Luanna H. & Evans, Ian M. (2012). The Teacher’s Guide to Restorative Classroom Discipline. Thousand Oaks, USA: Corwin.

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Monks, Clair P. and Coyne, Iain (2011). A history of research into bullying.

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Pikas, Anatol (1989). The common concern method for the treatment of mobbing. In Roland, E. and Munthe, E. (Eds.), Bullying: An international perspective. London: Fulton. Cited in Rigby, Ken (2011), The Method of Shared Concern: A positive approach to bullying in schools. Camberwell, Australia: ACER Press.

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Sutton, J., Smith, P.K., and Swettenham, J. (1999). Bullying ‘Theory of Mind’: A critique of the ‘Social skills deficit’ view of anti-social behaviour.

Social Development, 8(1), 117–127. Cited in Duffy, Maureen and Sperry, Len (2012). Mobbing: Causes, consequences and solutions. New York: Oxford University Press.

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Typo Station (n.d.). Tools for your Toolbox – Introduction to Typo Station Approaches – Supporting all people to take a consistent approach. Cheshunt, Victoria: Typo Station. Unpublished manual for family and supporters, circa 2002. (Note: Typo Station is now known as ‘Evolve’).

Vertonghen, J., & Theeboom, M. (2010). The social-psychological outcomes of martial arts practise among youth: A review. Journal of sports science and medicine, 9(4), 528–537.

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Index Agreement 14, 22, 25, 32, 36, 39, 41, 45, 62, 64-65, 68, 75, 76 Behavioural psychology 71 Blaming the victim 5, 64 Body language 4, 12, 18 Bullying behaviour 3-5, 7 Challenge 12, 22, 79 Chat 10, 14, 29, 30, 33 Check-ins 61-62 Circle 25, 29, 30, 34, 41 Coach 1, 8, 10, 11, 14, 29, 33, 36, 63, 69 Collaborative law 36 Collaborative problem-solving and resolution 2, 33, 35, 36, 79, 80 Complexity 6, 7, 79, 85, 86 Conference 29, 30 Confidence 17-18, 56, 70, 71, 72 Conflict 18, 22-27, 65, 69, 71, 77 Consequences v, 1, 10, 13, 15, 18, 36, 42, 46, 56, 64, 68-72, 73, 75-77, 87-89 Counselling 17, 38, 41, 61, 69, 77 Cover up 76 Criticism 49 Direct response 1, 9, 14, 33, 63, 69, 79, 80, 86 Emotional 15, 17, 24, 32, 39, 40, 57 Emotions see confidence, empathy, fear, power difference, reduced confidence, remorse, reprisals, shame, and unconscious fear Empathy 22, 31, 32, 41, 45, 48, 50, 54, 55, 60, 65, 80, 82, 84, 85 Engagement 31 Evaluation 6, 14, 20, 27, 34, 42, 4950, 65-66, 70-73, 82, 84, 85 Examples 3, 4, 5, 45, 56

Examples of what to say 10-11, 25, 26, 30, 31, 45, 46, 56-64 Fear 23, 24, 26, 27, 34, 46, 54, 57, 59, 77, 80, 82, 83, 84, 85 Feeling threatened 3-5, 11-12, 25, 31, 56, 81-84 Framing rules 71, 72 Group dynamics 44, 48-49, 51, 55, 57, 62, 84 Group influence 48, 50, 65 Group interventions 43, 52 Group meeting 45, 48, 49, 50, 53, 54, 55, 59, 62, 64, 66 Group support method 2, 36, 43, 62, 79, 80, 82, 83, 85, 88 GSM see Group support method I-messages 11-12, 25, 63 Illegal behaviour iv, 3-5, 75-76 Indicators 79-86 Indirect bullying behaviour 72 Individual interventions 9, 16, 21, 28, 35, 43, 52, 67, 74 Individual meetings 50, 55, 60-62, 66 Individual mentors 36 Interruptions 25, 26 Labels 7, 54 Laws 2, 13, 68, 69, 75, 76 Martial arts 18, 89 Mediation 1, 21, 22-27, 36, 39, 41, 69, 79, 80, 81-83, 85 Meeting rules 25-26, 38, 39 Method of shared concern 2, 33, 5266, 79, 80, 82, 83, 84, 85, 88 Mobbing 1, 2, 5, 6, 20, 23, 27, 29, 87, 88, 89 MSC see Method of shared concern Natural justice 70, 71, 73 Neutral 22, 27

References No blame 31, 44, 45, 48, 49, 50, 54, 56, 64 One-to-one support 17, 36, 37 Peer mediators 22, 27 Personality 7, 13, 33 Pikas minimum aim 41, 64 Power difference 18, 19, 20, 22-24, 26, 27, 34, 40, 48, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85 Practitioner judgement 84 Pressure 27, 32, 34, 48, 49, 54, 55, 57 Procedural fairness 70 Provocative behaviours 17, 22, 26, 49, 51, 63, 64, 66 Public image 76 Punishment v, 2, 13, 33, 34, 37, 50, 54, 65, 67-73, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 83, 85 Rebuilding relationships 29, 32, 33, 40, 64 Reduced confidence 17-18, 56, 70, 71, 72 Reducing complexity 86 Referral to authorities iv, 2, 33, 65, 69, 74-77, 79, 80 Reflection 12, 31 Remorse 80, 82-83, 84, 85 Reporting incidence iv, 53, 70, 71, 72, 75, 76 Reprimand 12, 68-69 Reprisals 82 Restorative justice 1, 14, 28-34, 36, 40, 41, 49, 64, 79, 80, 82, 83, 84, 85, 88, 89 RJ see Restorative justice Response Options to Bullying Behaviour 2, 6, 78-86 ROBB see Response Options to Bullying Behaviour

Schools 6, 13, 17, 22, 27, 34, 50, 68, 69, 70, 72, 76, 87, 88 Scripts 29, 30, 40, 64 Serious behaviour iv, 23, 33, 36, 49, 65, 66, 72, 75, 76-77, 79, 87 Severity 7, 13, 26, 68, 70, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84 Shame 29, 32, 34, 44, 48, 82, 87 Shared concern see Method of shared concern Skills 11, 17-18, 22, 27, 34, 64, 69, 88, 89 Social competence 65 Solution focus 32, 40 Solutions 22, 25, 26, 34, 39, 44, 49, 57, 58, 60, 61, 87, 88, 89 Sports club 1, 17, 13, 69 Stereotype 1, 17, 65 Strengthening the target 1, 16-20, 61, 79, 80, 81, 85 Summit meeting 33, 53, 54, 61, 63, 64, 65, 66 Support networks 17-18, 29, 44, 49, 77 Terms used 7-8, 54 Theory 29, 34, 48, 54, 57, 65, 70, 79, 85-86, 88, 89 Therapy 2, 17, 32, 38, 65, 77, 87 Tone 10, 12 Training iv, v, 13, 17, 19, 22, 27, 42, 51, 66, 68-70, 77, 86, 88, 89 Unconscious fear of being bullied 57, 59 Unlawful behaviour 69, 75-76 Workplace 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 17, 22, 37, 69, 75, 82, 87, 88 Zero tolerance 70-71, 72, 87

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By the same author

t Pin-point what the behaviour is t Explore when and why it occurs t Work out how to encourage change.

The author’s practical BECOME process gives you a logical and consistent way of approaching problem behaviours. With case studies demonstrating how to put these steps into practice, Encouraging Appropriate Behaviour includes: t 14 principles on how to approach difficult situations t 13 tools to help understand the problem t 10 response styles t 20 effective strategies to use.

Murray Irwin is a freelance outdoor educator and adventure therapy group-leader with 13 years’ experience. For five years he worked with at-risk youth and spent three years designing and delivering award winning sustainability behaviour change programs.

t pin-point what the behaviour is t explore when and why it occurs t work out how to encourage change. www.encouraging-appropriate-behaviour.com

Murray Irwin

There is now no excuse to use the same ineffective response time after time. If you work with people, this book will BECOME your guide to successfully encourage appropriate behaviour.

Encouraging Appropriate Behaviour

f you find yourself dealing with unacceptable behaviour then Encouraging Appropriate Behaviour can help. By following the six BECOME steps of Behaviour, Emergency, Context, Options, Myself and Enact, you will be able to:

A Six-Step Approach

If you find yourself dealing with unacceptable behaviour then I Encouraging Appropriate Behaviour can help. By following the six BECOME steps of Behaviour, Emergency, Context, Options, Myself and Enact, you will be able to:

ISBN 9780987227805

9 780987 227805

www.publish-me.com.au

The author’s practical BECOME process gives you a logical and consistent way of approaching problem behaviours. With case studies demonstrating how to put these steps into practice, Encouraging Appropriate Behaviour includes: t t t t

14 principles of how to approach situations 13 tools to help understand the problem 10 response styles 20 effective strategies to use

There is now no excuse to use the same ineffective response time after time. If you work with people, this book will BECOME your guide to successfully encourage appropriate behaviour. www.encouraging-appropriate-behaviour.com

93

About the author Murray’s first career was in commercial finance. To pursue his love of the outdoors he completing a Diploma of Recreation and has since spent most of the past 14 years working with young people as a youth worker and educator.

As an outdoor educator Murray led week-long bushwalking, rafting and canoeing expeditions with school groups, teaching outdoors skills along with environmental awareness, leadership and personal development. He has worked for the Outdoor Education Group, Evolve and Geelong Grammar – Timbertop.

Fascinated by the therapeutic aspects of outdoor adventure led Murray to work with at-risk youth. The work was intense: a remote cattle property in central Queensland was the base for Youth Enterprise Trust’s 14-day residential program. Typo Station’s 20-day residential program including a 9-day hike in remote areas of Victoria, of which Murray is a veteran of many expeditions.

Spending days on end with groups of adolescents confronting issues was rewarding but challenging. Murray also worked for the Brotherhood of St Lawrence, twice being a team leader for 6-month long workplace skills training programs for young adults.

At Environment Victoria, a not-for-profit organisation, he facilitated behaviour change programs. Working with local communities and groups, he helped promote behaviours that reduced water and energy use along with teaching applied learning certificate students’ leadership skills and sustainable behaviours.

Before leaving Environment Victoria, Murray oversaw all of their community education and behaviour change programs.

Murray currently divides his time between writing, running his training company and being a part-time program coordinator with an organisation which provides psychosocial and respite programs that promote wellness for those living with a mental illness. When not outdoors hiking or paddling a river, Murray enjoys reading nonfiction and planning treks to do when he next returns to Nepal. He currently lives in Melbourne.

To find out more visit www.bullyingbehaviour.com For those readers who would like to offer feedback or suggest other strategies and tools they have used, please visit the above website.