True Colours: Evaluation of the True Colours Program for the Sammy D Foundation

“The Sammy D True Colours Program is a student-led critical inquiry providing young people with the opportunity to explore in depth the issues of bullying and violence. Through their chosen line of inquiry young people will develop the knowledge, understanding and skills to create opportunities to take action to enhance their own and others wellbeing, leading to a reduction in bullying and
violence.”
School bullying and violence against students is an ongoing public health concern. There are significant consequences for students who experience bullying and violence at school. The two terms are not mutually exclusive and point to assumptions that the character of violence changes across the schooling journey. This evaluation report focuses on bullying in primary schools which aligns with the Sammy D Foundation’s understanding that bullying occurs in primary school and becomes violence as the students get older. A growing
body of research indicates that interventions to prevent bullying do work. In the literature, ranging from antibullying, to gender-based violence prevention, interventions that are most effective are holistic, whole school based and include curriculum that enable students to develop the social and emotional capacities to respond to bullying.