Recommendation from WWE Famous person Titus O’Neil & Membership Teen

What do a highschool scholar and a WWE Famous person have in widespread? They each know bullying after they see it – and so they see it continually, whether or not in school or within the feedback on social media.

Not too long ago, Boys & Ladies Membership teen and anti-bullying advocate Dejae and Titus O’Neil, WWE Global Ambassador and Boys & Girls Club alum sat down to speak bullying.

How Bullying Impacts College students

“I used to be bullied as a child,” says Titus. “Being poor and rising up, we did not at all times have the perfect garments. I additionally wore glasses and received picked on in quite a few methods, from jokes to fights to all the things in between. As I received older, I grew a really robust distaste for bullying, simply because I did not perceive how folks might be so merciless.”

Now, Titus serves as a bullying prevention advocate, serving to educate Boys & Ladies Membership youth on standing as much as bullying via Boys & Ladies Golf equipment of America’s partnership with WWE and the Be A STAR bullying prevention program.

For highschool teen Dejae, bullying began early, too – and lasted. “I used to be bullied at a younger age, from second via fourth grade, at the very least,” she says. “I cried loads as a result of I used to be picked on and I actually did not know why. It took me years to inform a instructor. And the one motive it stopped was as a result of I went to an grownup and received assist.”

When Dejae joined the Boys & Girls Club of the Hatchie River Region in 2015, she discovered caring mentors and a bullying prevention program she wished she had whereas being bullied in school. 

As a teen ambassador of the Be A STAR program, Dejae serves as a bullying prevention coach and function mannequin to her friends on the Membership, modeling tolerance, kindness and acceptance whereas educating youthful Membership members on recognizing and responding to bullying. “It feels good to assist different youngsters study the significance of not being a bully,” she says. “And serving to different youngsters has taught me to be higher myself.”

Altering Mindsets from “Snitching” to Saving Lives

Dejae’s expertise ready years earlier than telling an grownup she was being bullied shouldn’t be uncommon. In accordance with Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s 2022 youth data, the vast majority of youth (67%) report that when one thing goes mistaken of their life, they attempt to maintain folks from discovering out. 

Plus, going to an grownup to report bullying has age-old social connotations – tattling, snitching, and so on. – that may make younger folks put their social standing earlier than their psychological well being, bodily security and extra. However bullying prevention advocates like Titus and Dejae are working to alter that mindset. 

“If someone’s getting bullied, you truly might find yourself saving their life by telling,” says Titus. “The bully might harm the particular person, or the particular person might flip round and harm themselves just because they’re bored with getting bullied and so they’ve cried out for assist in the mistaken locations. With the ability to go and inform a trusted grownup may very nicely save someone’s life. You may save somebody’s psychological well being house. You may put someone able the place they really feel empowered to make use of their voice.”

The urgency of telling somebody about bullying earlier than it goes too far hits near residence for Dejae. Not too long ago, she misplaced a good friend to suicide after he skilled repeated bullying in school and felt hopeless. “He was a extremely candy man. Very good,” she says. “However I really feel like if someone had finished one thing sooner, then he would nonetheless be right here, you understand?”

Methods to Deal with Cyberbullying

In recent times, as youngsters and youths spend more and more extra time on screens, cyberbullying has turn into a main type of bullying. “It’s totally straightforward for folks to be merciless or impolite on-line,” says Titus. “However it’s equally as straightforward for us to deflect it. I at all times inform people who if somebody doesn’t know you personally, do not take it private.”

Titus and Dejae’s essential suggestions for dealing with cyberbullying embrace:

• Know the signs of cyberbullying.
• Block bullies on-line.
• Test in on buddies who could also be receiving any detrimental on-line interactions.
• If you happen to or another person is being bullied, inform an grownup.

On social media, youngsters usually see cyberbullying occur in real-time. Dejae notes it’s necessary to examine in on an individual who’s being cyberbullied to allow them to know they’re not alone and that cyberbullying is unacceptable. 

“Cyberbullying might be like on Instagram, Fb, something. And it might simply be of their feedback saying impolite, horrible issues to them,” she says. “For me, I’d most likely textual content them or name them, and say ‘Hey, it is okay. , they’re simply phrases. They do not imply something. They only need to be imply to somebody.’”

Titus provides, “Dialog is the largest key. It’s necessary to say, ‘hey what’s happening?’ if their temper is off. Hopefully you may deal with it with them as a good friend after which inform a trusted grownup the state of affairs. And keep in mind, there is a block characteristic on each a type of apps.” 

Bullying Prevention at Boys & Ladies Golf equipment

Boys & Ladies Golf equipment play a particular function within the lives of America’s youngsters and youths, with educated, caring employees who get to know younger folks each day throughout the vital “in between” time between college and residential. Membership employees commonly examine in on Membership members’ stress, self-esteem and mental wellbeing, and know easy methods to spot the indicators of bullying.

The Be A STAR bullying prevention program at Boys & Ladies Golf equipment equips youngsters with the information and expertise to construct their emotional intelligence, regulate their feelings and discover ways to safely specific their emotions. Younger folks study the most typical types of bullying they could come throughout, in addition to particular steering for what to do if: you’re feeling you’ve bullied somebody; you’re the goal or sufferer of bullying; you witnessed bullying.

The significance of anti-bullying applications additionally stems from giving youngsters a judgment-free discussion board to debate feelings and bullying brazenly, share their experiences and construct empathy and neighborhood. When a star and former Membership child like Titus O’Neil reveals up at a Be A STAR rally, younger folks see that most individuals have skilled some type of bullying and understand there’s energy in speaking about it. 

For Dejae, turning into a bullying prevention advocate for her Membership offers her pleasure. “I do know it feels actually unhealthy to be bullied – it made me really feel upset, harm, unhappy,” she says. “It feels good to know I will help different youngsters.”

Titus’ largest piece of recommendation for youths and adults alike? “In a world through which there’s a lot negativity on the market, converse up and deal with others with kindness.”

Be part of the Membership

Boys & Ladies Golf equipment of America gives mentorship, meals and significant life experiences to tens of millions of younger folks throughout the nation. Boys & Ladies Golf equipment are protected, inclusive locations the place youngsters study, develop and have enjoyable. Be part of us on our mission of serving to all younger folks attain their full potential: