One thing will never change
Over the 15+ years during which I’ve been involved in bullying prevention, PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center has always striven to be thoughtful, positive, and relevant in creating resources and outreach. So that we can provide information and resources that have positive impact, we continually monitor best practices, stay up-to-date on current research, hold focus groups with students, and maintain constant contact with parents and educators. This unique approach allows us to see the "big picture," as well as a personal, intimate look into how we can be helpful to those who are seeking resources and advice.
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We've recently made some changes that I'm excited to share, as they reflect important shifts in our work:
1. Updated Statement of Purpose
When we officially launched PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center, our statement of purpose read:
Founded in 2006, PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center actively leads social change, so that bullying is no longer considered a childhood rite of passage.
Now, fast forward to more than 10 years later: We have arrived at a time when formerly widely shared beliefs, such as:
“Some kids deserve to be bullied.”
“Bullying is a natural part of growing up.”
“It's just teasing—it’s no big deal.”
This language around the communal thought process about bullying, which negated its devastating impact, has largely been rendered dated and invalid.
To meet the changing times, and to set a new goal, we've updated our statement of purpose to:
Founded in 2006, PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center actively leads social change to prevent childhood bullying, so that all youth are safe and supported in their schools, communities, and online.
2. Updated Tagline
When we first began our work to create social change, we felt that personal accountability was vital, along with community involvement. We wanted an action statement that would encourage everyone to think about the role that they could have in a positive change. From that vision, we encouraged our audience with:
"The end of bullying begins with you"
In the process of updating our statement of purpose, we realized it was also important to reflect the development of our resources, which are designed with the intent that anyone can get involved, that everyone can take action, and that when we are unified in our action, we have more positive outcomes. From those conversations, our tagline evolved to:
Together, we can create a world without bullying.
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While we will always be updating and creating new resources, continually striving to meet the needs of our audience, there is one thing we will never change—we will be here until every child feels safe and supported.
