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EYSC WIN PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD

EYSC were delighted to win the Changeit Photography Award on 29th April. Read more....
 

"THE LAST LAUGH"

  • The Essex Youth Scrutiny Committee completed their short film about bullying, "The Last Laugh", and held their Premier at the Empire Cinema at Basildon Festival Leisure Park.  Where were you on Wednesday 17th March 2010?  Were you lucky enough to attend the event?  If you weren't able to attend, don't worry.  An anti-bullying resource pack will be sent out soon to schools in Essex.  Each pack will contain a copy of "The Last Laugh" and anti-bullying resources for teachers.  So make sure your school gets a copy and that you all get to see the DVD!

 

  • The event was a great success and enjoyed by everyone.  The message that the DVD sends is powerful and memorable.  The Committee hopes that you all have the opportunity to see the film and recommend it to others.  Click here to see a press release about the event. 

 

  • There are so many people to thank for helping to make the Premier such a brilliant day and for helping to produce such a great film, including staff and students from Greenward Academy, the film crew and script writers, the staff at Empire cinema and many, many more.  Unfortunately it's impossible to name you all, but the Committee are extremely grateful and would like to thank everyone who has supported and assisted the Committee in any small way throughout 2009.

 

  • Congratulations, EYSC members for all your hard work and dedication!!!  The success of the Premier shows what a brilliant job you've all done this past year.  You should all be very proud of yourselves.  Thanks to your report and the DVD, which will be sent to schools and the decision makers at Essex County Council, you've really helped to make a difference.  Well done!

 

 

 

THE ESSEX YOUTH SCRUTINY COMMITTEE'S ANTI-BULLYING REPORT 2009

The purpose of the Essex Youth Scrutiny Committee, like other scrutiny committees, is to look at important issues, talk to decision makers and put forward recommendations to make things more effective.

 

Having consulted with over 1,500 young people in South Essex last year, the Committee found that bullying was the most important issue for young people.

 

It was for this reason that the Committee chose anti-bullying for their first scrutiny report.  Knowing that their report would be presented to Essex County Council's Scrutiny Board and form part of the Scrutiny Board Chairman's report to Full Council, meant that it would help influence decision makers at Essex County Council and its partner organisations including schools.  Thereby making a real difference for young people in Essex.

 

The report starts by detailing who the EYSC members are, what difference and impact they can make and how the Committee chose anti-bullying as their first scrutiny topic.  The report goes on to provide background information about bullying, how the Committee gathered its evidence and key information that came out of the witness sessions.  Towards the end of the report is a list of 12 recommendations.  These include:

RECOMMENDATION 1

The good work that is being done by all agencies should be fully co-ordinated to ensure maximum benefit for the young people of Essex.  Agencies should work together to do everything possible to enable victims of bullying to speak out at the earliest opportunity.

 

RECOMMENDATION 2

Agencies should pool funding or seek sponsorship to create a confidential "Bully Text Alert" service that enables:

  • Victims to report bullying and gain support
  • Young people who witness bullying to report it anonymously
  • Bullies who want to stop to find support

This should be promoted via "flagpens" or cards to all children and young people in Essex and link to support offered through existing services, including police, health & youth services.

 

RECOMMENDATION 3

The Young Essex Assembly should be consulted in the development of promotion and marketing of the "Bully Text Alert" service.  They should consult with other young people to ensure the design is young people friendly.

 

RECOMMENDATION 4

Schools and Passenger Transport should require all school transport operators to use and monitor CCTV and adopt the best practice standards set by the best of the operators in Essex.

 

RECOMMENDATION 5

Schools and Passenger Transport should classify reported incidences of bad behaviour on school transport operators; including a specific bullying classification.

 

RECOMMENDATION 6

All new teachers and professionals working with young people should receive anti-bullying training that is updated regularly and co-ordinated to give the same messages.  This should include training around positive relationships, body image and assertiveness skills.

 

RECOMMENDATION 7

The Schools, Children and Families Directorate should ensure the adoption of best practice across all schools.  This will include all schools ensuring that their anti-bullying policy is openly displayed and that it is clearly explained to all pupils, their parents/carers and professionals.  This should include sanctions for bullying, rights of appeal and pastoral support available for both the bullied and bullies.

 

RECOMMENDATION 8

All schools should have an effective CCTV surveillance system monitoring inside and outside the school.

 

RECOMMENDATION 9

Anti-bullying should be on the Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE) curriculum, to include positive relationships, peer pressure, body image and assertiveness skills.  This should be co-ordinated from the range of agencies currently offering in-school training.

 

RECOMMENDATION 10

All schools should record and report incidents of bullying, including pupil absence due to bullying and make this information available.

 

RECOMMENDATION 11

Existing Peer Mentor schemes in schools should be evaluated and deloped in other schools, based on "what works".

 

RECOMMENDATION 12

The Health Care in School, South Essex Pilot Scheme should be recommended as an example of best practice to the other Primary Care Trusts in Essex.

 

The Committee will be meeting in May 2010 to ensure that their recommendations are being implemented, ensuring that they have not been forgotten and that something is being done about them.

 

To see the full version of the report, please click here.

 

 

WANT TO SEE THE ESSEX YOUTH SCRUTINY COMMITTEE IN ACTION?

  • If you want to see what the Essex Youth Scrutiny Committee actually does, then click here. 

 

  • Once you get to the site you'll be able to see video footage of the Committee's witness sessions held on 19 and 21 October 2009.  These witness sessions helped the Committee to gather evidence for their report.  Click here to see the actual report. 

 

   

EYSC NEWSLETTER

  • The Essex Youth Scrutiny Committee now emails two newsletters (one for professionals and one for young people).  If you would like to subscribe to the newsletter, please send an email to - info@eysc.org.uk

 

 

EYSC MEETINGS

  • Click here for EYSC meetings.