Students sign up to ‘No Bystanders’ campaign

Students from City College Plymouth have recently signed up to a national anti-bullying campaign aimed at tackling bullying and abuse and supporting every young person to grow up and be themselves.

The campaign, ‘No Bystanders’ was set up by the lesbian, gay and bisexual charity, Stonewall, in March 2014. It aims to end bullying, abusive language and discrimination of all kinds. Words have the potential to impact on a person’s mental health, be the cause of self-harm and the reason why young (and older) people take their own life.

Stonewall has released a hard hitting short film as part of the campaign calling for a stop to bullying and abuse.

The film shows an escalating chain reaction that begins with childhood name-calling and develops into aggression and violence in adult life. Following viewing the film, Level 2 health and social care students decided that they immediately wanted to do all they could to support it and took it upon themselves to sign up. By signing up to the campaign, the students are committing to challenging bullying and discrimination wherever they see it and stand up for fairness and kindness, and not act as a bystander!

Lecturer in Health and Social Care, Colleen Saunders, said: ”Equality and diversity is integrated throughout the students’ entire course but two particular units, ‘Individual Rights’ and ‘Individual Needs’, require the students to consider alternative lifestyle choices and how we can support the rights and needs of these individuals.

“These students have shown a real commitment to the ethos of the College’s equality and diversity policy, whereby everyone has the right to fair treatment, respect and understanding, regardless of their individual lifestyle choices. The College also encourages and promotes diversity and difference and recognises the benefits they bring.”

To find out more about the range of courses on offer at the College or to arrange for a tour of our industry-standard facilities, call 01752 305300, visit www.cityplym.ac.uk or come along to the College Open Day on Saturday 7 February, 10.00am to 1.00pm.