Victorian government announces multimillion-dollar program to tackle school bullying
DOZENS of mental health support workers will be employed in Victorian schools in a $7 million boost to tackle bullying and reduce suicides.
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DOZENS of mental health support workers will be employed to work in Victorian schools in a $7 million boost to tackle bullying and reduce suicide rates.
A total $4.8 million of the funding announced by the Victorian Government today will be allocated for support workers in schools and teacher training — the equivalent of 40,000 hours of mental health support.
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The announcement comes after the high-profile death of Amy “Dolly” Everett, the 14-year-old Northern Territory girl who was once the face of Akubra.
The teen, from a well known cattle family, took her life after relentless online bullying.
The $7 million Victorian Government plan will include resources and training for schools to reduce the risk of suicide and manage student recovery.
New initiatives will also be introduced to target racist bullying.
A fun run in partnership with the Alannah and Madeline Foundation will be staged in 2018 to take a stand against bullying and support inclusion.
The Victorian Anti Bullying and Mental Health Initiative will aim to fight bullying in schools, address the mental health and wellbeing of student and bring down the rate of suicide, which is the leading cause of death for Australians aged between five and 17.
One in four Grade 4 to Year 9 students reported being bullied every few weeks or more in a 2009 national study.
Education minister James Merlino labelled bullying a “silent tragedy” that was “hurting families across our state”.
“Our kids simply can’t be their best if they don’t feel happy, supported and included at school.”
Multicultural affairs minister Robin Scott said “kids are not born racist”.
“They tend to repeat what they hear from others,” he said.
“This initiative is about reducing bullying and harassment in all its forms across our schools.”
For 24/7 support, contact lifeline on 13 11 14 or go to www.lifeline.org.au.
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