ANTI-BULLYING POLICY

 

Chungdokwan Taekwondo is committed to the prevention and effective management of any type of bullying behaviour, in particular relating to children and vulnerable adults.

 

Bullying behaviour may be any of the following:

Verbal or social.

Material or emotional.

Physical or sexual.

Discriminatory (eg homophobic, racist).

Name calling or making hurtful personal comments.

Cyber (ie via social media or mobile communication devices) – Please see our Social Media Policy to try and make a better online community.

 

Bullying will always be taken seriously and where a victim feels they are being bullied then the situation should be investigated as such. Victims should tell their Instructor immediately if they feel they are being bullied. If they can't tell their Instructor then they should tell one of our club Designated Safeguarding Officers, who can deal with the problem.

 

Examples of bullying are as follows:

 

The victim is ostracised or left out of peer group activities.

Possessions are stolen or damaged or extortion takes place.

Pressure to conform with unwanted situations.

Harassment or aggression towards victim.

Deliberately inflicting pain or injury, teasing or banter. Bullying is different from teasing or banter. Banter is the good-humoured, playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks, often two-way. Its use amongst sports people is well-documented and can often support better team environments, and may even help improve performance. However, the dividing line between banter, bullying and abuse is a narrow one and ever-shifting. One person’s teasing or banter is another person’s bullying, thus the dividing line is never clear and based on how the words or actions are perceived. The acceptance of teasing or banter by the recipient can change over time –an amusing one-off tease can become hurtful if continuously repeated. Where teasing or banter becomes bullying or abuse, this can have a detrimental effect on both individual and or team and should be reported.

 

How we, as a club, try and combat bullying:

 

Aim to create a positive and safe environment for everyone, especially children.

Not ignore bullying activity and always take action where it is reported.

Listen to and take seriously the concerns of individuals, or their parents or carers, taking part in the club or associated activities.

Respond proportionately and effectively to incidents of bullying.

Ensure all staff are suitably trained to deal with any incidents.

Raise awareness of bullying with volunteers and educate on signs of what to look for.

 

The Anti-Bullying Code

 

This code is for participants and staff alike and is as follows:

 

1.It is everyone’s responsibility to prevent bullying.

2.We will encourage our staff, coaches, volunteers and officials to be vigilant and observant at all times.

3.We will not tolerate bullying or harassment of any kind.

4.We will be accepting of others regardless of age, race, religion, culture, disability, ability, or appearance.

5.We will not ignore an incident of bullying.

6.We will use ‘time out’ if we feel angry or under pressure, or just need time to calm down.

7.We will be kind and respectful to others, even if they are not our friends and we will make new members feel welcome.

8.We will report any bullying incident to Safeguarding staff immediately.

9.We will try to remember that everyone matters, including ourselves.

 

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What can we do to stop bullying?

 

Our club has a zero tolerance approach to bullying and Instructors and assistant instructors, members and parents are expected to interact and behave according to our code of conduct.

 

Bullying behaviour can be prevented or stopped. An important starting point is to realise that much bullying can occur without the knowledge of coaches or parents, and that many victims are very reluctant to tell adults or friends of their problems. They may be ashamed to be a victim, and they are afraid that adults cannot or will not help to resolve the situation. They may have been threatened with retaliation if they tell. Also, adults must re-examine some of their own beliefs with regard to interpersonal behaviour before they can intervene effectively. Many adults or parents may tell children not to tell tales and to resolve their problems themselves. In a bullying situation there is a power imbalance of some kind which ensures that the victim always gets the worst of the interaction. The victim and bully both need intervention in order to stop the pattern.

 

What we will do if we discover a bullying situation:-

 

1.Intervene immediately: stop the bullying behaviour as soon as it is apparent.

2.Talk to the bully, and the victim, separately. If more than one child is involved in perpetrating the bullying, talk to each of the bullies separately, in quick succession.

3.Consult with other coaching instructors, possibly school/tutor, to get a wider understanding of the problem, and to alert them to it. Agree a co-ordinated plan of action, involving parents where appropriate.

4.Expect that the perpetrator(s) will minimise or deny their actions. Refer them to codes of conduct and tell them why their behaviour was unacceptable. Remind them what behaviour you do expect of them. Inform the bully(ies) of the sanctions which will be imposed and that their parents will be involved.

5.Reassure the victim that all possible steps will be taken to prevent a recurrence.

6.Inform the parents of the bully and of the victim as soon as possible. A quick call to the home the same day is preferable, followed by an appointment for the parents, if it is deemed necessary. Better results are obtained when parents are involved early in a bullying situation, before behaviour patterns are entrenched and extremely serious.

7.For the bully(ies) specific re-education in respect of their behaviour in addition to sanctions such as removal of privileges.

8.Sensitively monitor the behaviour of the bully and the safety of the victim on an organisation-wide basis.

9.If the bully(ies) will not change their behaviour, despite concerted efforts by staff, they, and not the victim, should be the ones who are removed from activity and from the club.

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