Bullying Free Future

Everyone deserves a bullying free future!  Contact us today!  219-334-5804

We should all strive for cultures of kindness. 

WHO WE ARE

Bullying Free Future is a 501c4 non-profit organization that is dedicated to bullying prevention and advocacy.

The mission of the Bullying Free Future is to increase community awareness as well as promote bullying prevention to address the frequency and severity of bullying in school systems. 

 

BFF's primary purpose is to provide support for students who have experienced bullying. We will also provide advocacy for families / students who have been bullied and provide bullying intervention programs to schools to increase bullying prevention efforts.



WHAT WE DO

Our goals:

Provide education on prevalence of bullying

Provide support for students who have been bullied

Collaborate with local schools on bullying prevention efforts

Provide advocacy to parents / families of students who have experienced bullying. 

Engage in school and community-wide anti-bullying campaigns

Participate in media campaigns for bullying prevention


RESEARCH HAS INDICATED THAT IMPLEMENTING BULLYING PREVENTION PROGRAMS CAN REDUCE BULLYING INCIDENTS BY 25%

We will advocate on behalf of bullied students and their families. BFF will provide education and support to parents, students, teachers, administrators as well as the community-at-large, as well as promote cultures of kindness in schools. 


BULLYING IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM

DID YOU KNOW??


13% were made fun of, called names, or insulted

 13% were the subject of rumors

 5% were pushed, shoved, tripped, or spit on 

5% were excluded from activities on purpose. 

43% in the hallway or stairwell at school 

42% inside the classroom 

27% in the cafeteria 

22% outside on school grounds 

15%  online or by text 

12% in the bathroom or locker room

8% on the school bus 

CYBERBULLYING

(Data from the National Center for Educational Statistics, 2019 and Center for Disease Control Violence Bullying fact Sheet; Stopbullying.gov survey data) 


https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/yv/bullying-factsheet508.pdf

 

http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2015056

 

INDIANA'S DEFINITION OF BULLYING

The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE), per Indiana statute IC 20-33-8-.2,  defines bullying as: overt, unwanted, repeated acts or gestures, including verbal or written communications or images transmitted in any manner (including digitally or electronically), physical acts committed, aggression, or any other behaviors, that are committed by a student or group of students against another student with the intent to harass, ridicule, humiliate, intimidate, or harm the other targeted student and create for the targeted student an objectively hostile school environment that:

(1) places the targeted student in reasonable fear of harm to the targeted student's person or property;

(2) has a substantially detrimental effect on the targeted student's physical or mental health;

(3) has the effect of substantially interfering with the targeted student's academic performance; or

(4) has the effect of substantially interfering with the targeted student's ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, and privileges provided by the school

The IDOE defines four categories of bullying:

(1) Physical: involves hurting a person’s body or possessions. It includes hitting/kicking/punching, spitting, tripping or pushing, taking or breaking someone’s things, and making mean or rude hand gestures.

(2) Verbal: involves saying mean things. It can include teasing, name-calling, inappropriate sexual comments, taunting, or threatening to cause harm.

(3) Social/Relational: involves hurting someone’s reputation or relationships. Social bullying involves telling other children not to be friends with someone, leaving someone out on purpose, spreading rumors about someone, or embarrassing someone in public.

(4) Electronic/Written Communication: involves cyber-bullying, collective or group note writing, any bullying undertaken through the use of electronic devices (computer, cell phones)

Want to learn more? 

Visit the Indiana Department of Education website

KNOW THE LAW

Every school in Indiana is required to institute and enforce rules prohibiting student-on-student bullying. (Ind. Code Ann. § 20-33-8-135.)    UPDATED based on Indiana House Bill 1483 that went into effect July 1st 2023 

Indiana public schools must provide age appropriate, research-based instruction focusing on bullying prevention for all students in grades 1 through 12.

 Indiana school discipline rules prohibiting bullying must include a detailed procedure outlining the use of follow-up services that include must include support services for the victim and include bullying education for the alleged perpetrator.

Indiana school dicipline rules should include policies that must allow parents to review any bullying and suicide prevention materials provided to students 

The governing body of each school corporation shall work with parents to develop and periodically review an evidence-based plan for improving student behavior and discipline in the school corporation after receiving a model plan developed by the department. 

 School discipline rules must also include  reporting acts of bullying and abusive behaviors to the parents of both the targeted victim and the alleged perpetrator WITHIN 5 business days

The principal or designee shall conduct a thorough and complete investigation for each report of an alleged incident of bullying received.  The investigation shall be initiated by the principal or the principal’s designee within one school day of the report of the incident

The investigation shall be completed and the written findings submitted to the principal as soon as possible, but not later than five school days from the date of the report of the alleged incident of harassment, intimidation, or bullying.  The principal shall submit the report to the superintendent of the school corporation within ten (10) school days of the completion of the investigation.  The superintendent or his/her designee shall report the results of each investigation to the board of education on a quarterly basis during regularly scheduled board meetings.

AS A PARENT, WHAT CAN I DO IF 

MY CHILD IS BEING BULLIED?


REMEMBER THAT BEING BULLIED CAN LEAD TO FEELING POWERLESS, WITH NO VOICE. MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD'S VOICE IS HEARD AND HELP YOUR CHILD GET POWER BACK!


Bullying Free Future Outreach Updates:

2024

From Ocotber 2023 through May 2024, BFF conducted on-site  Bullying Intervention / Empathy Program and on-site support groups to Oregon-Davis Jr/SR High School in Hamlet, IN.   

BFF was awarded a grant by Oregon-Davis school for their bullying intervention program and support groups in March 2024. 

BFF conducted school-wide Bullying Prevention and Awareness Training to Wanatah Schools in Wanatah, IN. 

BFF conducted school-wide Bullying Prevention and Awareness Training to Hebron Elementary School in Hebron, IN. 

BFF conducted school-wide Bully Prevention and Awareness Training to Oregon-Davis Jr/ Sr High School in Hamlet, IN. 

2022 / 2023 

BFF participatecd in the Jasper County school supply giveaway July 29, 2023.

BFF has been implementing support groups and a Bullying Intervention Program at Oregon-Davis Schools during the 2022-2023 school year. 

BFF coordinated a parent meeting with Hebron Schools.

During October 2022,(Bullying Prevention Month), Bullying Free Future conducted a school-wide presentation at Oregon-Davis Jr/Sr High School.  Students made a positivity wall in which they wrote kind, positive messages to each other. 

Also in October, Bullying Free Future distributed information and over 500 "Be a buddy not a bully" bracelets between Hebron High School and Oregon Davis School. 

We also provided support to a family in South Dakota. 

Jennifer Dudrey, MSW, LCSW


219-334-5804

Executive Director/Founder


Email: jenniferd@bullyingfreefuture.com

CONTACT US

CONTACT US 

219-334-5804

Lend a helping hand and join our efforts.  We are always looking got volunteers to help raise awareness about bullying and help create a harassment-free community.ORIf you or someone you know is being bullied and you need support or advocacy, please contact us and we will determine how we can help!

Email us: bullyingfreefuture@gmail.com

TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

WANT TO HELP??

Contact us today to learn more!

219-334-5804

 RESOURCES and HOTLINE NUMBERS

Suicide Hotline : 988 Suicide & Crisis  number (call or text 988) and the Crisis Text Line number (741741) 

https://www.pacer.org/bullying/ Self-harm hotline: Self-Abuse Finally Ends (SAFE):  1-800-366-8288 

https://www.stopbullying.gov/ Addiction Hotline (SAMHSA):1-844-289-0879   

https://www.palmerlakerecovery.com Social Media Addiction Statistics - The Lanier Law Firm 

consumernotice.org/data-protection/internet-safety-for-kids/#cyberbullying-prevention

TAKE THE PLEDGE

BULLYING FREE FUTURE

HAS JOINED THE NATIONAL BULLYING PREVENTION CENTER’S “TAKE THE PLEDGE” NETWORK


DO YOU…………

Then TAKE THE PLEDGE!

By taking the pledge, you are joining others to promote kindness, help support others who have been bullied, include others who are left out, speak up if you see someone being bullied, be a positive peer at your school and in your community. Stand up to bullying by standing out with kindness!

Be a buddy, not a bully!

I pledge to be kind, treat others with dignity and respect, include others, support others, and speak up. 


_________________________________________________

Signature Date

I am a (check one):  ____ Student    ____ Parent    ____ Teacher  ____ School Staff  


www.bullyingfreefuture.com                                   Email: bullyingfreefuture@gmail.com

  Phone: 219-334-5804

link: www.PACER.org/bullying