A Dandenong hospital is using a friendship seat to ‘make a stand’ against schoolyard bullying.
Coinciding with National Day of Action against Bullying, South Eastern Private Hospital installed a Buddy Bench at St Anthony’s Primary School in Noble Park.
School leader Nicole, 11, said the bench would encourage students to “make friends and socialise”.
It’s a place to sit down to “boost your self confidence to meet new people” or a signal that “they might want to make more friends”, other students said.
“Anyone sitting on the bench can be invited to play a game with them,” Harley, 9, said.
The impacts of bullying include sadness, low confidence, insecurity, depression, the students say.
“It makes people feel that they’re not good enough and not good at anything,” Gemma, 11, said.
South Eastern Private Hospital consultant psychologist Jason Goh said the buddy benches would provide safe spaces for children needing support from peers or teachers.
“In a way, COVID-19 has masked the affects because children have been at home more, but negative behaviour has definitely been magnified on social media.
“The prevalence of bullying and youth mental health issues is a national crisis, but I think buddy benches are a great social education tool and will help promote inclusion, start conversations about healthy relationships and hierarchy in the playground, and provide a place of comfort.”
Recent Australian studies show a strong link between bullying and PTSD.
About 40.5 per cent of girls and 27.6 per cent of boys show PTSD symptoms at the time of being bullied, studies found. Their torment can be triggered in later life.
Mr Goh said without intervention, children who are bullied long-term are at risk of chronic depression, increased risk of suicidal thoughts, plans and attempts, anxiety disorders, PTSD, and self-destructive behaviour such as substance abuse.
South Eastern Private Hospital chief executive Andrew Blyth, said the hospital was a strong advocate of buddy benches as their narrative of friendship and inclusion would carry with the students into later life.
“Recent studies indicate that most Australian children have experienced bullying, with 20 per cent bullied every week,” he said.
“Buddy benches are a proactive way to provide school students with a safe space when feeling lonely or in need of support.
“They also provide an opportunity to spark important conversations around mental health, building a foundation for conversation throughout school and beyond.”
