Bullying Policy

POLICY STATEMENT: Beebe Advent Christian Camp (BACC) is committed to providing a caring,
respectful and safe environment for children, youth, and adults. Therefore, BACC follows a zero
tolerance policy regarding any bullying behaviour exhibited at camp. Although bullying often
occurs with children, and much of the language of this policy is related to children, bullying at any
age will not be tolerated.

DEFINITIONS:
Bullying: is willful, repeated aggressive behaviour with negative intent used by a person to
maintain power over another person. The result is a victimized individual caught in an abusive
relationship. Bullying is not the same as one-time bad behaviour such as name-calling, insults or a
fight, but these may be warning signs.
Unequal power: one person has more power than another person (or it seems this way to the
people involved).
Hurtful actions: Physically or psychologically harmful behaviour takes place
Direct or indirect actions: The abusive behaviour may be face-to-face or done behind a person’s
back
Repetitive behaviour: The hurtful actions keep happening, so the person being affected finds it
increasingly difficult to escape

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The cycle of bullying often begins between the ages of 4-11 when children are forming their own
social identities. With these younger children, bullying often manifests as:

• Physical – such as hitting, kicking, punching, pushing/shoving, extortion or stealing of money
     and possessions
• Psychological/Verbal – such as insults, name-calling, threats and intimidation, comments about

     how someone looks or talks, or comments about someone’s ethnicity (culture, colour, religion)
• Psychological-Social – such as gossiping, rumours, ignoring, not including someone in group
     activities

As children get older (12-17 years), the type and range of bullying behaviour increases:
• Dating aggression – includes physical or verbal actions including grabbing, pushing, punching,
      spreading rumours and name-calling
• Sexual harassment – occurs when a person or group hurts another person by taunting or
      discussing sensitive sexual issues, creating sexual rumours or messages, making     

      homophobic comments, rating sexual body parts or name-calling, telling sexual jokes, and   

      initiating unwanted sexual touching.

• Ethnoculturally-based bullying – includes any physical or verbal behaviour used to hurt another 

      person because of their ethnicity

 

Cyberbullying is the use of email, cell phones, text messages, Internet sites and chat rooms to
physically threaten, verbally harass or socially exclude an individual or group. Social media
technologies often allow bullies to remain anonymous while disturbing damaging messages/pictures

to a widespread audience.

 

Bullying usually involves the bully, the victim and the bystander(s).

 

Intervention is a key part of stopping the bullying cycle. Bullying is a power struggle that is difficult
to resolve without the help of an adult. In many cases it requires only a few minutes of intervention

to stop, especially if adults act immediately and in a consistent manner. Both peers and adults can

intervene to help the victim.

POLICY:
   1. Beebe Advent Christian Camp directors and staff/volunteers will recognize that bullying is not
       a normal part of growing up. It needs to be dealt with directly by adults who are willing to
       recognize there is a problem and take whatever steps must be taken to stop it.
   2. Directors and staff/volunteers will be instructed on what bullying is, and BACC’s policy and
       response to bullying.
   3. All directors and personnel will take action to prevent bullying, teach against it, and assist and
       support children, youth and adults who are being bullied, and encourage everyone to “if you
       see something, say something”.
   4. Rules, including a zero-tolerance of bullying, will be clearly stated to campers upon arrival
       and will be followed through on by personnel.
   5. Reporting: Staff/volunteers will report any concerning behaviour that might be bullying (and a
       victim’s response to bullying) to their supervisor immediately, and will thoroughly document
       the behaviour.
   6. Response: A zero-tolerance approach to bullying does not necessarily mean we will send a
       bully home. It does mean that BACC will address the behaviour and ensure that it stops. This
       may mean that a camper will experience consequences at camp, or it may result in the       

       camper being sent home, depending on the severity of the situation and how it unfolds. The
       seriousness of the incident and the BACC response will be clearly communicated to the   

       victim, bully, and the bystander(s).
   7. Relationships: Staff/volunteers will be positive role models for campers of all ages of what it
       means to have a positive relationship, and will continue to work with both a victim and a bully
       to support them, correct them, or do whatever else is needed to help them develop     

       physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
   8. Informing Parents: Parents of those involved will be informed of any bullying incident during
       camp, even if the decision is made that the “bully” will stay at camp with consequences given.
       Notifying the parents allows us to reinforce to parents and campers that bullying is not
       tolerated. Informing parents is not to be left until closing day under any circumstances.
   9. Documentation: All incidents of bullying will be documented using an Incident Report, and
       retained permanently.