A Canadian's 4 year experience in the Belgian Flemish school field (grade 7 and 8) as an anti-bullying coordinator (2010-2014).

1. Introduction: similar challenges in Belgium and Canada
A hopeful response to school bullying
By Deborah V. Iversen, 03/2015
A Canadian’s 4 year experience in the Belgian Flemish school field
(grade 7 and 8) as an anti-bullying coordinator (2010 -2014)
Canada has the 9th
highest rate of bullying in
the 13-year-olds on a
scale of 35 countries
(Canadian Council on
Learning—Bullying in
Canada)
Inside:
Introduction 1
Problem vs solution 2
Prevention 3
Intervention and remedia-
tion
4
Conclusion 5
Lars’ parents: 'Not angry at bullies but
disappointed in school’
De Standaard, 20/02/2015
VLAMERTINGE (BELGIUM) - After a long 3-day
battle, 13 year old Lars Declercq from West Flanders
died in the Ypers’ hospital. Sunday evening Lars
tried to end his life after being bullied a long time at
school. The police have started an investigation.
Roeselare City (Belgium) wants discussion
about bullying and aggression at Vrije Agro-
en Biotechnisch Instituut
Het Nieuwsblad, 29/06/2012
ROESELARE - After a film clip appeared on the
internet where a student is being physically bullied by
another student at the train station, the city of
Roeselare reacted. Mayor Luc Martens wants to have
a round table discussion with the school and police.
Catholic school board
faces bullying lawsuit
Ancaster family suing for
$900,000
Hamilton Spectator, 30/05/2013
A statement of claim filed by the
couple last month alleges the
board failed to provide their now
14-year-old son with "a safe and
inclusive learning environment"
while he was a student at Holy
Name of Mary Catholic
Elementary School in the fall of
2009.
It also says the board:
• Failed to properly investigate
as many as three violent
assaults against their son, who
was 10 at the time;
• Failed to ensure the alleged
bullies were properly disciplined;
and
• Failed to ensure the school's
principal and vice-principal met
their duties to foster student
safety and prevent violence
among students.
Amanda Todd’s story not only heart-
wrenchingly reminds us of the
consequences and desperation of
students being bullied, but also
makes us ask serious questions
about the lack of school intervention
in the entire situation.

2. Problem: unstructured approaches to school bullying
Solution: an integrated approach to school bullying
The initial situation in this project
School board: Belgian Flemish public school system
School: Middenschool Drie Hofsteden (junior high)
155 Hugo Verriestlaan, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium
100 - 130 students in grades 7 & 8
Many students came from foreign, poor or/and underprivi-
leged backgrounds. As a result social skills were often
limited, leading to many conflicts and much bullying.
I already was a Protestant religious teacher in the school
prior to 2010, when I was given 10 guidance counseling
hours per week to coordinate and execute a bullying policy
for the school. This demanded a whole school approach
and commitment of administrators, counselors, teachers,
support staff and parents.
After 3 years the various integrated facets (prevention and
intervention) were in place.
A clear integrated systemic interven-
tion, prior to escalation, is critical for
schools and students in the fight
against bullying.
An integrated anti-bullying approach
versus an unstructured approach is
similar to the difference between
teaching one week about nutrition and
having it integrated into the daily
running of the school. A nutrition
policy helps kids to daily experience
healthy eating and help them to make
healthier choices about diet in the long
run.
An integrated approach ensures first
of all students know (prevention)
how to identify elements that can
lead to bullying, which steps to take
when bullying occurs etc. and at the
same time the school promotes ac-
ceptable behavior in terms of class
sphere, respect etc. Secondly an
integrated approach must be com-
posed of an effective intervention
plan.
Page 2 A hopeful response to school bullying
A structured approach
to bullying in schools
can save both the
victim and the school.
 Many Belgian Flemish schools suffice with a sporadic bullying prevention (they limit themselves to one time
activities, for instance during the Flemish week against bullying in February). This results in students not know-
ing what to do when bullying begins towards them personally or someone else. They are often times not con-
scious of which situations can escalate into bullying.
 Many Flemish schools improvise mainly after there has been an escalation. They have no real plan and work
ad hoc from incident to incident. They often unintentionally make the situation worse or even miss the purpose
of intervention. Help often comes too late or is not effective. Students become desperate because they feel iso-
lated and alone.
 Many Flemish schools want to actively and effectively take on bullying but do not know how and realize they
have a lack of professional support and training.
 Bullying unfortunately often leads to long term negative effects for the victim. Moreover, incidents can really
put a negative label on the school. When an escalation occurs in a school and the media gets hold of it, it can
have a damaging and lasting effect on the school. The first question asked is, “Why didn’t the school do any-
thing?”

3. Integrated approach: prevention
Page 3A hopeful response to school bullying
Prevention is primarily the continual education of students about what bullying is, how it feels, what you can do if you
are a victim or a witness to bullying.
This education must be interactive and engaging for students. It also involves discussion and dialogue. Student
opinions about bullying have to be reflected upon and dealt with.
The school’s clear message of acceptable behaviour has to be effectively communicated and students have to not only
understand but also learn to apply the principles.
This cannot be solely accomplished through one week of anti-bullying awareness or a poster hung on the wall. A lasting
effect on students can only be achieved via an on-going, integrated theme throughout the school year.
1. Annual September anti-bullying presentation and
discussion
 The presentation in each class begins with a skit by students
dealing with a particular form of bullying
 The interactive discussion is an informative moment where
students learn how and where to report bullying, essential social
skills which aid in prevention, how to create an inclusive
classroom...
 It is the first contact point for new students
3. Iedereen is slim (Everyone is smart) campaign
 Focuses on publicly acknowledging the diverse kinds of
intelligence of each student to build self-esteem
 Aids in creating an inclusive classroom and affirms positive
elements in each student
4. The anti-bullying poster competition
 In the art lesson the graduating students (in groups of 5)
thinks deeply about an anti-bullying message they want to
leave as a legacy
 Every student votes and the winning poster is professionally
copied and hung throughout the school the coming year
 Graduating students experience that they can positively
influence fellow students
Examples of effective on-going anti-bullying activities in my 4 years as anti -
bullying coordinator
2. De pest aan pesten (I hate cyberbullying) campaign
 Each student votes “agree” or “disagree” on a ballot
concerning a statement around cyberbullying and may add
their reasoning
 The statement, student’s votes and comments and answers
are hung out and processed in the Dutch lesson.

4. Integrated approach: intervention
What happens when bullying is detected will speak loudly to victims, bullies and parents alike.
With a team of well trained staff for intervention, a school will always be ready with appropriate
action. The established protocol must also help in identifying when outside help is needed, what
to do in instances of cyber bullying, when are parents contacted etc.
1. De Pestbox (The Bullying Box)
 This recycled mailbox served as a contact point to inform about
bullying. Students wrote the name of the bully and the bullied and
their own name. The parties were never told who informed about
the bullying situation.
 This gave the students a safe confidential way of reporting bullying
and served as an early detection which facilitated in early
intervention.
 About 1/3 of all incidents were reported through this channel.
Because of the clear whole school approach, many students also
reported in person.
2. The No Blame Approach
 This form of intervention was used for one-on-one bullying
situations.
 This approach provides a safe place for discourse for both the
bullied and bully by helping students experience a healthy way of
expressing their feelings in a difficult situation.
 This approach lowers the bully’s desire for retaliation, establishes a
code of conduct, helps manage student interaction and assists in
follow-up.
 Every bullying incident was thoroughly followed-up and noted in the
student’s digital file.
3. The Proactive Circle
 This is an effective means of intervening in classroom bullying.
 This restorative method helps students corporatively identify the
problem, focus on thier own contribution and articulate their steps in
supporting the bullied.
 It creates dialogue for the one being bullied and helps both the
bullied and the class to hear the other’s experience.
Elements of effective on-going anti-bullying intervention in my 4 years as
anti-bullying coordinator
Pestbox
Page 4 hopeful response to school bullying

5. Conclusion
Page 5A hopeful response to school bullying
My school wanted students to feel safe and understand what acceptable behaviour is, thus it was
pertinent that our school, through a concerted effort and long-term commitment from everyone,
was prepared before bullying incidents arose and was proactive in educating and creating a
positive sphere in the school. As a result our systemic and integrated method had very tangible
and long lasting effects.
From interaction with parents, discussions with students and a questionnaire students filled in at the end of
each school year we could see the following effects of our integrated approach:
 The amount of bullying incidents reported by students increased significantly.
 Students changed their behaviour on social media in how they reacted to comments posted by other friends,
they became more thoughtful about what pictures they put on their pages and knew which steps to follow to block
someone.
 Students felt significantly safer because they knew the school’s protocol concerning bullying intervention.
 Students found it good to be able to think about the topics brought up by the anti-bullying activities, felt they
could express their thoughts and had learned life skills.
 Students felt they learned something about themselves.
 Students became more self aware of their role in a bullying situation.
 Students understood and felt they could apply the tools for healthy conflict resolution.
 Quite a few parents of bullyied students were thankful and appreciative that the school made a priority of its anti-
bullying program.
 The required governmental inspection of our school’s special programs including our anti-bullying program,
placed us in the top 10% of Flemish schools.
A safer place for
students to grow
and learn
Integrated anti-bullying approach
Skilled intervention when
bullying occurs with an effective
protocol
Prevention is a planned and
systemic educating of students
about bullying prior to bullying
incidents
+ =
Deborah V. Iversen tel. 289-698-0596 deborahv.iversen@gmail.com