Coleraine school’s powerful anti-bullying video

Alan Woods and Darryl Caskey’s P6 classes from DH Christie Memorial Primary School created the video following a group discussion about how important it is to stand up to bullying.

“We started this last year with a mannequin challenge video and this year we had a discussion in class about the whole concept of the video,” explained Mr Woods.

“Children are empathetic anyway so they came up with all of the words that are featured in the video.

“It’s all about showing that everyone, at some time of their life, feels isolated or lonely.

“The kids empathise easily and know what is right and what is wrong but children can also feel that they don’t want to be a nuisance or make a fuss, so they don’t say anything about what’s happening to them.

“That’s why the video shows the kids standing together to intervene on behalf of a friend, to combat the silence of saying nothing.”

Mr Woods said that while he came up with the concept for the video and the children devised the message to support it, the video was created thanks to the talents of Dean McCarter.

To view the video, go to the school Facebook page “I think the video hits a personal note with everyone - adult or child - and it really means something to the children that the video is something that they can be proud of,” added Mr Woods.