Course for Teens now includes anti Cyber Bullying

Residential Course for Teens now includes anti Cyber Bullying
MEDIA RELEASE
16 August 2012

Discovery for Teens, the leading self-development course for all NZ teenagers, will now include a program on teen relationships formed by social media. This follows the Law Commission’s report on Harmful Digital Communications and proposed new measures to crackdown on cyber bullies using text, Facebook and other social media tools.

Discovery Foundation Chairman Mike Johnston says “Adding this specific topic is a logical extension to the existing Discovery for Teens course contents, which today include the addictive nature of these types of media, teenagers taking responsibility for both their actions and futures, and techniques for effective relationships with peers, their family and others.”

Mr. Johnston believes cyber-bullying takes place covertly, outside the school and often while the child is in the privacy and security of the home. “Teaching responsibility and consequences via experiential learning while increasing the self-esteem and confidence of both potential bullies and victims as well as focusing on school policy has a long-term and more effective impact than focusing on schools alone,” he says.

Through its programmes Discovery Foundation sees the impact that poorly formed relationships have on teenagers and the cyclical effect this can have on their sense of worth, value and their ability to set goals and strive for achievement. “At every program we run we see the impact that bullying has on teenagers and our trained facilitators often the first person the teen has confided in,” said Mr. Johnston.

A very successful part of Discovery for Teens’ residential program is about group dynamics and relationships. Trained facilitators are now including safety elements for social media into the program so that teenagers are aware of the risk and consequence of cyber-bullying, how they might cope and manage a cyber-bully attack.

ENDS –

About Discovery Foundation

Discovery Foundation is a not-for-profit registered charity that runs residential and non-residential programs centred on supporting better outcomes for children. Our contributors understand that supporting Discovery Foundation is an investment in New Zealand youth. Teenagers and parents of teens from all over New Zealand attend Discover for Teens. The next Discovery for Teens 7-day programme is being run 7-13 October on Motutapu Island with the Parents’ Day course on 13 October 2012.

Discovery Foundation Inc. was first established as the Global Youth Foundation in 1991 and became an incorporated society and registered charity in 2008. The foundation sets out to make positive differences to the lives of teenagers by increasing confidence and self-esteem, developing a sense of purpose and direction, enhancing communication and academic ability, to help them have better relationships and to develop an improved attitude towards life.

http://www.discoveryforteens.co.nz

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