EVERY school in Tyrone is being urged to plan ahead and take an active role in this year's Anti-Bullying Week. Running from Monday to Friday, November 19-23, the week will focus on bullying due to race, faith and culture (racist bullying and sectarian bullying) as well as cyber bullying.

Geraldine Loughran, chair of the Northern Ireland Anti-Bullying Forum (NIABF), outlined the importance of Anti-Bullying Week, now in its third year.

"The Department of Education's research in 2007 found that bullying due to a pupils race, skin colour and religion is a concern and highlighted the need to change attitudes. We felt anti-bullying week was one of the ways to support schools thinking about how they celebrate diversity whilst tackling bullying due to race, faith and culture.

"The research also revealed that cyber bullying is a relatively rare form of bullying experienced by children and young people in comparison to other more traditional forms, however there has been no in-depth research into this phenomenon in Northern Ireland. We wanted to raise awareness of this at the earliest possible stage," said Geraldine Loughran.

"School bullying can have serious consequences for children, leading to academic underachievement, physical and emotional distress, loss of self-esteem, eating disorders and truancy. We hope that schools will use this week as a stimulus to commit to long-term and sustainable measures to prevent and deal with this problem."

So what can be done? Resource packs are being issued by NIABF to nursery, primary, post-primary and special schools which have registered their interest in the initiative. They provide anti-bullying themed posters designed by children and young people, a DVD produced by local young people, and suggestions for activities that schools can adopt during the Week to develop anti-bullying strategies in partnership with their pupils.

NIABF will also be offering a limited number of workshops delivered directly in schools by Theatre Squad, from November 19-30. Through pupil participation they aim to challenge pupils' perceptions of others and will touch on issues such as discrimination and racism. Childline (a member of the NIABF) will also deliver workshops, which aim to provide pupils with basic knowledge relating to safe use of technology and techniques to manage incidents of cyber bullying.

NIABF vice-chair Philomena McDermott said, "Anti-Bullying Week is an excellent opportunity to remind the whole school community of their anti-bullying policy and practice. Children and young people's participation is critical in ensuring anti-bullying strategies are effective. We need to remind everyone to work together in promoting the message that bullying behaviour is unacceptable."

Teachers who would like an Anti-Bullying Week schools pack should download a registration form from www.savethechildren.org.uk/niabf and return it to NIABF by Tuesday, October 30. Anti-Bullying Week materials are also available from the NIABF website at www.savethechildren.org.uk/niabf

Alternatively, if schools wish to book a workshop, they should contact contact Leslie-Anne by Friday, November 2, on 028 9043 1123. Please note there are a limited number of workshops available and early booking is advisable.

Funded by Department of Education, the Northern Ireland Anti-Bullying Forum was launched in 2005 and includes representatives from Save the Children, Childline, NSPCC, Barnardos, NCH, Contact Youth, the Department of Education, Education and Library Boards, CCMS, CCEA, The Children's Law Centre, Parents Advice Centre, Mencap, NICCY, The Fostering Network, NICIE, NIPPA-the early years organisation, The Rainbow Project, NICEM and teachers' representatives.