Bullying in all forms can leave a victim depressed and lead to low self-esteem and even suicide. Work to raise awareness of the issue began in 2009 with the launch of an online survey with Beatbullying at the annual convention, and was followed by a competition to design a cyberbullying webpage. The personal development steering group used information from the survey to look at bullying within relationships and social exclusion.

What is bullying?

Bullying is behaviour by a person or group of people that is:

• Meant to hurt
• Happens more than once
• Involves an imbalance of power so the victim finds it hard to defend themselves
• Can be physical or involve taking or damaging belongings
• Verbal: taunts threats, offensive remarks
• Relational: spreading nasty stories, gossiping, excluding someone socially
• Cyber: texts, emails, picture/video clip bullying, instant messaging

70%

had been bullied

22%

had bullied someone else

78%

had seen someone else being bullied

38%

turned a blind eye

15%

stood and watched

20%

reported it

1%

filmed it

59%

would use online help and support

Former personal development steering group chairwoman Christine Hope says: “As the UK's largest rural youth organisation, we are in an ideal position to prevent bullying and stamp it out, including less obvious patterns of bullying such as social exclusion, which can be particularly devastating for a rural young person, even when it is accidental rather than deliberate.

“We revamped one of our NFYFC courses to ensure the leadership styles used throughout the organisation recognise and include everyone.

“We realise that cyberbullying – bullying through electronic means such as mobile phone messages, emails and social networking sites – is on the increase and we also recognise that young people want to be able to get help via online methods.

“The survey results showed that 59 per cent of respondents would use online help and support from other young people if it was available, and the steering group is looking at ways in which we can offer help and advice online.

“We will be examining how we can educate the 38 per cent of people who walked away, not to turn a blind eye by empowering members to stand up to bullies.”

NFYFC personal development steering group vice chairman Bob Dronfield says: “NFYFC is building on work to raise awareness on bullying and social exclusion begun with cyber-bullying and this year the focus will be highlighting attitudes towards sexual orientation.”

Social networking on Facebook is one of the most popular ways people socialise online. Facebook is a great way to stay in touch, invite people to social functions and share photographs. Facebook can be used effectively within your personal life and for promotion and running of your YFC. It is important to remember that Facebook can also leave you vulnerable if you share lots of personal information. Recently there have been cases of peoples houses being burgled when they post that they are on holiday and parties getting out of hand as a Facebook message had been spread far and wide. For your own safety and the safety of your YFC members we have put together some hints and tips on safe Facebook networking.