"Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity, it is an act of justice" Nelson Mandela at the Live 8 concert July 2005

"Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation" Nelson Mandela

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Sunday, March 22

Bullying

When we think "Social Justice" we automatically think of dying starving children and possibly child slaves.

But "Social Justice" is about something much deeper then the those starving in the world. Social Justice is about standing up for the injustice in the world and the injustice that's happens around us.

Social Justice in my opinion is not so much about the wallet. But is about how we think. How we think about others, how we speak about others and how we treat others.

I believe social justice starts right here, right where you are. Standing up for those who can not stand up for themselves.

If we all carried a mindset to stand up for the injustice in the world we would transform how we live and the world we live in.

Yes, I know all sounds a bit idealistic.


Here's a few statistics of what is happening in our schools

A national survey of more than 38,000 schoolchildren between 7 and 17 established that approximately one child in six was bullied by peers each week in Australian schools

In 2002, Kids Help Line received almost 6,000 calls about bullying from young people in Australia

Boys report ‘joining in’ bullying more than girls (9% compared to 5%) and secondary students are more likely to bully another child than primary school students (11% compared to 5%)


EFFECTS OF BULLYING AND VIOLENCE


Higher levels of stress, anxiety, depression and illness, and an increased tendency to suicide
Negative impact on educational outcomes
Also harmful to perpetrators who are more likely to have antisocial and criminal behaviour


In Australia we have one of the highest youth suicide rates in the world. And yes that is a complex issue in itself.

But...wouldn't you agree its time we stand up and do something about bullying and suicide?
(I know, loaded question - its rhetorical)




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About Me

This blog is a little bit about me and mostly about being LOUD about making poverty history! I've got an awesome wife NAOMI(The cre8ive one). 3 kids - SAM 9(The brain),REUBEN 8(Playstation addict and Computer wiz) and Carissa 5(The Princess).