President's Residence Director-General Shares Personal Fight Against Bullying
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
Eyal Shviki, Director-General of the President's Residence, discussed his personal drive to combat bullying, stemming from his role as a father. He detailed the creation of the "Ze Alenu" website, which centralizes resources for those affected by bullying. The initiative aims to provide a unified response and equip parents and educators with tools to prevent and address bullying, with a pilot program set to launch in 12 cities in January.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- President's Residence Director-General Eyal Shviki is leading an initiative to combat bullying.
- The "Ze Alenu" website centralizes resources for children, parents, and educators facing bullying.
- A pilot program for the anti-bullying initiative will launch in 12 cities in January.
- Shviki emphasized the importance of collective responsibility and tailored support for bullied children.
- The program aims to equip adults with tools to identify and address bullying situations.
- Success is measured by helping individual children, not by online engagement metrics.
Eyal Shviki, Director-General of the President's Residence, revealed in an interview that his personal motivation to combat bullying stems from his role as a father of four and the fear for his children's well-being. The initiative, he explained, was born from a meeting between the President and his wife, Michal, with families affected by bullying. Shviki took on the challenge, aiming to create a unified response to the issue.
Shviki described the creation of the "Ze Alenu" (It's On Us) website, which consolidates resources for children, parents, and educators facing bullying. He noted that while various ministries and organizations offer support, children often don't know where to turn. The website aims to be a single point of contact, with tailored pathways for different users. The name "Ze Alenu" signifies collective responsibility for looking out for others.
He shared a story about a girl in a central Israeli city who was being bullied at a new school after leaving her previous one. The mayor intervened personally, and the family is being supported. Shviki emphasized that changing schools isn't always the solution and that precise, tailored responses are crucial, highlighting how connecting different entities helps overcome bureaucracy.
Shviki also recounted a personal experience where his daughter invited a lonely child to play during recess, only to be told by a teacher to return to her own class. This incident, he said, highlighted the need to equip teachers and parents with the tools to handle such situations effectively. The "Ze Alenu" program includes lesson plans for schools, focusing on awareness, prevention, and involvement, starting from first grade.
The program is piloting in 12 cities in January, aiming to create a supportive environment around children and provide adults with shared tools. Shviki stressed that success is measured not by online metrics but by helping even one child. He urged parents to dedicate time for conversations with their children and encouraged children to speak up and offer help to those being bullied, emphasizing that "it's on us" to ensure every child feels safe at school.