Felpham students lead way in tackling bullying

The 23 pupils have become among the initial 700 CyberMentors in the country. They completed a five-stage course by Beatbullying to enable them to help and support their peers with any bullying problems.

The initiative involves the first nationwide peer mentoring online social networking site run by young people for young people.

One of the college's CyberMentors, Daniel Riley, 12, said: "It's a good scheme. It will help people who are being bullied and will work either through contacting us through the website or one-to-one.

"Bullying is a very serious issue. It upsets people and I don't

know why anyone would want to be a bully."

Fellow CyberMentor Victor Smith, 12, added: "There are a lot of posters about the scheme around the school so everyone knows who we are and can approach us about bullying."

The increased use of mobile phones and social networking sites on the internet has enabled bullies to spread their taunts and insults further than the traditional playground.

Ben Phillips, an assistant headteacher at the college, said: "Every school has an issue with bullying and it's how they handle it which is important.

"Social networking sites are banned in the college along with mobile phones, but the problems with them, with messages, texts and photos, which occur in the evenings and at weekends, still affect us."

Beatbullying operations' manager Richard Piggin said the presence of the CyberMentors would enable students in the college to know they had a friend if they were being bullied.

"It is someone to talk to for a bit of support and guidance. In the majority of cases, that's all that is needed - a sensible piece of advice and a problem shared," he said.

He added adult back-up was available for issues which it would be unfair to expect the mentors to handle.

The launch of the CyberMentors at the college was attended by Bognor

Regis and Littlehampton MP Nick Gibb, who is the Conservatives' shadow

minister for schools.

He said: "Cyberbullying is a particularly harmful form of bullying. I am delighted the students in Felpham are taking such a proactive step to tackle the problem."

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