Photos and more details about our Anti Bullying march

17th - 21st November saw celebrations across the country to recognise Anti-Bullying Week and at Connexions Norfolk we made sure that we marked the event in style. This year’s campaign focused on difference and diversity and at Connexions our campaign asked the question ‘Wouldn’t life be boring if we were all the same?’

The aim of the week is to raise awareness of bullying and to make a stand against it. At Connexions we are aware that being different can often result in people being the subject of bullying, however we recognise that we are all different and that this contributes to us living in diverse societies - something we want to celebrate.

As well as having activities in our centres we took our campaign out onto the streets of Norwich on Thursday 20th November, with the help of 40 young people dressed in blue hoodies.

Ella Spencer from Sprowston High School, who took part in the march had this to say about her experience:

“40 young people in hooded jackets marching through Norwich City Centre, How does that make you feel? I’m sure most of you wouldn’t feel too comfortable walking past them on your own. This is the stereotype that we wanted to break and we want to show that there is a heart beneath the hood. 40 young people volunteered there time to take part in the walk from the OPEN Connexions Centre to the Forum, handing out glow-in-the dark freebies such as wristbands and glow sticks so that everyone can stand out from the crowd! The idea was to celebrate the differences of us all and to be happy with ourselves just the way we are.”

At the Connexions Centres and at Carrow Road there are displays of the difference and diversity pledge cards that have been handed out at different events and filled in by young people with a drawing or a description about what makes them different. This could be about the way they look or hobbies or even their personality! Whatever they feel makes them different they simply write or draw it on the card and they have all been displayed in the centres.