Young Cybermentors Help Beat The Bullies

12 February 2010, 05:55 | Updated: 12 February 2010, 07:43

Ninety pupils from across Hertfordshire will be logging on to a special website at school and home to give advice and support to other students who are being bullied.

The year 7 and 8 pupils have been trained as accredited Cybermentors. They'll be part of an online group of students who will offer confidential help to other pupiils their age, who are victims of bullying but reluctant to report the problem face-to-face to an adult or teacher.
 
The website - www.cybermentors.org.uk - is a national site funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families with in-built monitoring systems to protect children from exploitation.
 
Richard Thake, Executive Member for Education and Skills said "Bullying can make young people feel isolated and takes away the confidence they need to seek help. This exciting new project enables young people to get advice without having to meet anyone face-to-face and adds an extra dimension to our Hertfordshire Anti-Bullying Initiative (HABI).
Students who act as Cybermentors will also promote the website in their schools.
 
Karin Hutchinson, Hertfordshire County Council's Anti-Bullying Advisor, said: "Although we have funding to train 90 cybermentors initially, we are hoping to get funding to continue the programme and have mentors in as many of our 75 secondary schools as possible." 
 
Thirteen schools across the Hertfordshire have taken part in the the special training course so far, including:
 
* The Astley Cooper School, Hemel Hempstead
* Monks Walk School, Welwyn Garden City
* Adeyfield School, Hemel Hempstead
* Roundwood Park School, Harpenden
* Sir John Lawes School, Harpenden
To listen to the Cybermentors from The Astley Cooper School Click Here