Ulster GAA Supporting Tackling Bullying

The GAA became the country’s first sporting organisation to launch a national anti-bullying campaign with the unveiling of the GAA Tackling Bullying Programme in March 2013.

The GAA Tackling Bullying Programme is a resource developed and launched by the GAA for assistance at club level in dealing with incidents of Bullying.

Our Games – Our Code, the Joint Code of Best Practice in Youth Sport for the GAA includes the GAA Anti- Bullying Policy, which aims to adopt a whole organisational approach to addressing bullying. We are committed to implementing structures and relevant training to deal with allegations of bullying and incidents of bullying which are regarded as serious breaches of the Code of Behaviour and shall be dealt with accordingly.

The Northern Ireland Anti-Bullying Forum (NIABF) and the Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) recently launched, as part of Anti-Bullying Week, the campaign “Together we will make a difference – END BULLYING NOW”; furthermore highlighting the role everyone in our society has to play in taking a stand against bullying.

Ulster GAA is encouraging all clubs with youth members to adopt the GAA Anti-Bullying statement and make use of GAA Tackling Bullying posters and resources to promote anti-bullying messages amongst their participants and avail of our GAA Tackling Bullying Workshop.

The GAA Tackling Bullying Workshop consists of a two-hour training workshop suitable for Coaches, Parents, Players and other Club personnel and also includes a range of publicity materials for Clubs. This course is a fantastic resource available to all clubs, and during the Two hour workshop, participants will be equipped with tools that will enable them to identify, prevent and resolve incidents of Bullying that may occur in their clubs. This is an issue that causes many problems within our clubs and communities, and we encourage all clubs to formally adopt the Anti Bullying Policy at Club Executive.

This two-hour programme may be run in tandem and complimentary to any other educational and or community anti-bullying initiatives and is suitable for delivery at both adult and under age levels.

To organise a GAA workshop in your club, and to receive GAA resources, please contact your County or Provincial Children’s Officer. Tackling Bullying Posters are also available to download from our website at www.ulster.gaa.ie/?p=257145