Nationwide perseveres with poetic push to preach against school bullying
To raise awareness against school bullying, Nationwide bank and agency partner VCCP London have launched a campaign that focuses on the importance of mutual respect in society.
A shocking 24,000 children miss school every day due to bullying. Addressing this, ‘The Power of Words’ marked a three-year partnership with The Diana Award, an organization that honors young people who work to improve the lives of others.
“It’s more important than ever to ensure that school is safe and free from harmful bullying behavior,” said Alex Holmes, deputy chief executive officer at The Diana Award.
“Thanks to our partnership with Nationwide Building Society, we’re training 10,000 Anti-Bullying Ambassadors in primary schools across the UK over the next three years. We know this peer-to-peer approach works, and these young ambassadors are already changing behaviors and shaping attitudes by sending a clear message that bullying isn’t acceptable.”
In the thought-provoking video, viewers see schoolchildren discussing their own experiences of bullying in a raw and emotional way. To coincide with the launch, an extra 10,000 Anti-Bullying Ambassadors are being trained in over 660 primary schools up and down the UK. The supportive ambassadors, who are schoolchildren themselves, will receive training on how to spot bullying, speak out and support those who face challenging circumstances at school.
“It is heartbreaking to hear from children who have had their lives blighted by bullying. As a mutual organization, we have a particular interest in fostering greater mutual respect to build a better society where diversity and difference are celebrated,” added Sara Bennison, chief product and marketing officer at Nationwide.
“The Diana Award team has made some inspirational strides to put an end to bullying and we hope our support can mean that many more children can be protected. Thanks to VCCP for handling our new campaign with care and for producing a really important film, which translates what our partnership with The Diana Award is all about.”
The important film will debut during The Great Celebrity Bake Off for SU2C on Channel 4, and will be further amplified across social media channels. All media has been planned and executed by Wavemaker.