Listen: Samwise Holmes joined Ally & Brendan on Hope Breakfast to chat about bullying in schools and how both those who bully and those being bullied can overcome the cycle
By Ally BarnesThursday 27 Jan 2022Hope BreakfastEducationReading Time: 1 minute
Bullying is a huge problem in schools. It can cause severe anxiety and depression. And with cyberbullying, there’s no escaping it when the school bell rings.
Samwise Holmes was bullied relentlessly through school but wasn’t defeated by the other kids’ cruelty.
Instead, he created a program called Backflips Against Bullying, which empowers and equips school students with ways to defend themselves in the school yard.
Talking to Hope Breakfast, Samwise shared that one of the most effective defences against bullies is to not get upset.
“Don’t give the bully the satisfaction of your true reaction,” Samwise said.
The program which uses acrobatics and parkour to engage the students, encourages them to call out bullying if you see it.
“Call them out. Bullies crave satisfaction from the people around them.”
The program is incredibly unique in that it provides hope to perpetrators as well as victims.
Backflips Against Bullying is incredibly unique in that it provides hope to perpetrators as well as victims.
“People who are bullies, are often as in need of help as the victims, 80 per cent of bullies are victims themselves,” Samwise said.
“If you are someone who feels powerless in a part of your life, you may seek power over someone else.”
Listen to the full interview with Samwise Holmes in the player above.
Feature image: Photo by Taylor Wilcox on Unsplash