AN INSPIRATIONAL Saddleworth School pupil has been picked out of 100 applications to be a National Anti-Bullying Ambassador Youth Board Member.
Kirsten Fletcher, 13, has been selected as one of 15 young people aged nine to 17 years old from across England to sit on the prestigious panel for 2015/16.
The Youth Board will work with thousands of schools and young people across the UK to represent their views and offer advice on anti-bullying policies and practices.
Year 9 student Kirsten has already been working as an anti-bullying ambassador in Saddleworth School as well as visiting local primary schools to help tackle bullying.
She said: “I am delighted to be part of the National Anti-Bullying Youth Board and I am looking forward to representing young peoples’ views about bullying and sharing best practice.
“By being a member, I feel I will definitely make a difference to the lives of other young people who have experienced bullying or have been a bully themselves.
“I have done a lot in school already but I wanted to be on the Youth Board to take it to the next level and work nationally and I am really excited about getting started.”
The Anti-Bullying Ambassadors programme, set up in 2010, is a nationwide peer led initiative with more than 11,000 trained ambassadors in over 1,000 schools across the UK.
It is part of the Diana Award, which was established in 1999 in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, as a legacy to her belief in the power of young people to change the world.
And there was more good news for Saddleworth School as they have been picked by the Diana Award to be Regional Anti-Bullying Ambassadors for the North West.
Over the next year, the school will take a lead in working with other schools to share what they do to address and prevent bullying.
Miss Colette Craddock, one of the lead teachers on the projects, highlighted their popular new ‘Peer Mentor’ scheme – where older pupils help and advise younger ones – as a key factor in their success.
She said: “The scheme only started in April but has already increased from 30 to 50 mentors as it’s been really successful.
“We have been picked on the basis on this, as well as the other projects and assemblies the pupils have done. The children have worked so hard and deserve the recognition so I am delighted.”
For more information or to join our Anti-Bullying Ambassadors programme, please visit www.antibullyingpro.com
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