Beatbullying creates new anti-bullying campaign with YouTube
19.11.2007
Embargo 00.01 Monday 19 November 2007: Beatbullying and YouTube have worked together to create a new innovative anti bullying resource for young people.Celebrities including Leona Lewis, Girls Aloud, Dannii Minogue and Arsene Wenger have posted personal video messages on the new Beatbullying channel on YouTube. The channel will be a one stop shop for young people and anti-bullying campaigners. It is the first anti-bullying partner channel on YouTube.
In response to young people rejecting traditional forms of media, Beatbullying have turned to YouTube to get critical bullying prevention help and advice out to millions of YouTube users. YouTube has helped Beatbullying set up the channel.
Speaking on the Beatbullying YouTube Channel, Girls Aloud said: “Happy slapping may be funny to you, until it is a member of your family sat at a bus stop, being slapped.”
Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills said: “Calling something you think is rubbish gay, is like calling people who are gay rubbish, don’t do it.”
Taking time out from the reformed Boyzone, Ronan Keating said: “If you wouldn’t say it to someone’s face, then don’t post it online.”
In a touching contribution from Penny Lancaster, she confesses: “My main memories of school are when I was bullied. I had one boy race his bike up against the back of my legs and I was bleeding and I couldn’t really hide that so I’d go home crying, it was very traumatic.”
Long time Beatbullying supporters Kym Ryder, the Gossip’s Beth Ditto also appear on the channel with young people from Beatbullying’s prevention programmes giving advice and demonstrating how the Government’s new peer mentoring schemes can beat bullying forever.
Emma-Jane Cross, Chief Executive of Beatbullying said: “The Beatbullying YouTube Channel will revolutionise how young people access information on how to avoid being bullied and importantly on how to avoid being a bully.
“It is frighteningly easy for a young person who would never consider being a bully in real life, to do something online which they think is funny or humorous but in fact is a terrible act of bullying.
“It is crucial that young people have access to this useful advice from credible celebrity role models, in an online environment where some of them are at risk of being bullied or becoming the bully.”
Patrick Walker, YouTube’s director of video partnerships for Europe, said: “Beatbullying plays a vital role in helping young people across the country combat bullying. We're very pleased to help them make the most of the internet in their campaigning and hope the YouTube channel is a real help to young people, families and teachers.”
Beatbullying is asking YouTube users to upload their own anti bullying videos and messages onto the Beatbullying Channel and help create the world’s biggest anti bullying drive.
To view the channel, go to www.youtube.com/beatbullying
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Footage of the following celebrities will be available in AVI digital video file format from the Beatbullying FTP download site from Friday 16 Nov 2007:
- Shayne Ward
- Ronan Keating
- Dannii Minogue
- Kym Ryder
- Mark Indelicato
- Patrick Stewart
- Penny Lancaster
- Ian Waite
- Scott Mills
- Girls Aloud
- Sean Kingston
- Beth Ditto
- Kelly Holmes
- Leona Lewis
- Arsene Wenger
- Nikolas Bendtner
For stills, interviews, FTP details and further information please contact:
Niall Cowley 020 8768 1017 niall.cowley@beatbullying.org
Richard Piggin 020 8768 1012 richard.piggin@beatbullying.org