Find out what our Young ABA NI group achieved in 2024
Young ABA NI 2024 : Year in Review
Our Young ABA (YABA) meetings over the course of the year were marked by impactful discussions and creative projects to drive anti-bullying efforts for children and young people across the UK. In our initial sessions, we spent time getting to know each other as a group, before delving into anti-bullying training.
Young ABA NI: Meeting 1 Reel
The Young ABA, through interactive training sessions and discussions, learnt the basics of anti-bullying such as the definition of bullying, the roles involved in bullying, and how we can look after ourselves when we talk about bullying. The cohort also explored the challenges of addressing bullying and discussed practical strategies to overcome them.
The NI Young Anti-Bullying Alliance participating in Anti-Bullying training
As the year progressed, the group provided us some fantastic input into the planning for the theme of Anti-Bullying Week 2024! These brainstorming sessions were pivotal in shaping our Anti-Bullying Week 2024 logo and Call to Action. Further, the Young ABA went through social media training, conducted by a member of our very own ABA Team, where we discussed the six key ingredients to good social media content.
In one of our YABA online meetings, we had a media training session from an expert within the National Children's Bureau, giving top tips for when YABA gives interviews. The cohort also had discussions on school belonging and why it is important - these inputs have informed the National Children Bureau's Belonging Matters Programme.
YABA NI played a pivotal role in shaping our ongoing All Together project, funded by the Irish Government, aimed at understanding sectarian bullying in Northern Ireland. We had an insightful discussion with the pupils about their thoughts and experiences with sectarian bullying. These conversations have informed the design of our focus groups and surveys for the project.
Finally, we concluded the year by getting the ball rolling for Anti-Bullying Week 2025: we explored the potential theme for the week, and discussed what we can improve based on our learnings from ABW 2024.
The Young Anti-Bullying Alliance reflecting on Anti-Bullying Week 2024
Further, with banning the use of mobile phones in schools being widely discussed within our governments and schools, YABA also shared their insightful opinions on this topic. These discussions help us ensure that youth voices continue to shape our work.
The most heart-warming moment came when each YABA member summed up their experience in one word. Their responses—fun, rewarding, and welcoming—truly reflected the impact of their journey.
We are very proud and very grateful to our Young ABA members and all their contributions to help us to unite against bullying - thank you YABA 2024!
Some of the 2024 cohort explaining why they wanted to get involved in Young ABA