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Mission Statement
Buddies Not Bullies strengthens children & families lives by promoting community awareness through education regarding bullying to strengthen and build healthy relationships.
About This Cause
Buddies Not Bullies was just an idea among four friends on a summer day 20 years ago. Our founder and Executive Director, Lisa Bell, had a quirky daughter who was a frequent target of bullying starting in 2nd grade. Unfortunately, her bullying continued through high school. Lisa sought support with educators and administrators to no avail. This was just “a part of growing up” and her daughter would have to “adapt or change” she was told. And so the bullying continued-despite Lisa’s efforts to find support within the school’s “adapt or change” approach. Those personal experiences, along with the suffering and heartache of many other children she worked with, prompted Lisa to create Buddies Not Bullies. Lisa has an extensive career as a licensed psychologist. She is well known within her community for her work with children and families. Buddies Not Bullies started primarily to help parents. However, over time it became clear that children, particularly targets of bullying, were struggling. Many were experiencing significant mental health crises and at their breaking point. Parents feared for their safety. Presenting symptoms varied, but one universal experience was reported by nearly every child patient Lisa met with in her practice. Bullying. It was always in the history. It was apparent that bullying was crippling our children and putting undue stress on the family as well. All of these children (and their adults) really needed extensive supports to reduce these traumas of childhood, change the “part of growing up” narrative, and actually build essential skills. This is when Buddies Not Bullies ‘adapted and changed’ their mission to what it is today. The next section provides an overview of the programs we’ve created and delivered to children (K-12), educators, and parents. Our next major project is already underway! Creating a digitized curriculum of each program so that educators can access resources to support children with meaningful, practical, and evidence based tools. All In, our flagship program, integrates awareness, skill building, and intervention directly into the school culture. Students receive instruction about types of bullying; differences between tattling and telling; strategies to respond to bullying; and how to report bullying. Because the program is delivered over the course of the school year, retention is increased. All In Extensions, are brief skill building classes designed specifically for primary grades. Our youngest students receive basic information and beginning practice with skill sets on conflict resolution, communication skills, and social-emotional development. Rudolph-Available for KG students during the Holidays using the familiar story of Rudolph to introduce key concepts involved in bullying. Students learn about the three major ‘players’–Bully, Bystander, and Target. Additionally, students discuss the importance of being an ally, and how individual differences can actually be undiscovered assets. 5th grade students participate as mentors for their younger peers. YOU-Niquely Social Leadership and Camp celebrates individuality by helping K-5th graders understand that we can be different, have different ideas, and still get along. At-risk teens participate in the leadership component of this program as YOU-Nique Mentors. Culminating with them facilitating the 2-day camp. Game play fosters skill development including leadership, making friends, including others, differences, taking turns, personal space, cooperation, and other helpful social strategies. "Play It Safe" is designed specifically to strengthen the middle school child's sense of "netiquette" and on-line safety. Students identify bullying and harassment as it relates text messaging, email, and social networking. Students learn how to safely share information with their peers while reducing the risk factors associated with on-line predators. Parent Workshops are available FREE of charge on our website. Both series address negative impacts of bullying and practical strategies that support children. The traditional series focuses on identifying bullying, helping kids who bully, helping targeted kids, and helping bystanders. The cyberbullying series, focuses on trends, identification, reporting, risky online behaviors, strategies, and legal issues. Professional Development is also available. Courses include: “Basic Training”, “The Role of Educators as First Responders,” and “Understanding the Wired Child’s World”.