Lexington Fairness will present its inaugural bullying prevention training at the beginning of August in coordination with the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN), according to a press release. The training will create a Project Speak Out bullying prevention corp of volunteers who will provide free trainings through the upcoming school year. The program will help provide tools, resources, tactics and training to school staff, community organizations, youth groups and other venues where bullying prevention training is needed.
“Project Speak Out is a program where tangible resources can be provided to adults and peer bystanders who can make safe and impactful decisions to help all students affected by bullying,” said Craig Cammack, chairman of Lexington Fairness, a non-profit equal rights advocacy organization. “Lexington Fairness has chosen to no longer wait for strengthened anti-bullying laws to be passed to make a difference in our schools, and we hope our trainings will provide the information our schools and community need to help all students, no matter who they are, suffering every day from attacks by their peers.”
The Project Speak Out training corps will include up to 30 community volunteers who have applied to be a part of the training of trainers program in August. After the three-day training, the volunteers will hold meetings, forums, and trainings for interested parties over the 2012-2013 school year in various locations. Applications have been received for several weeks. Interested volunteers can submit their application online through Friday, July 13, by visiting www.lexfair.org.
Lexington Fairness has spoken out against bullying through Project Speak Out since 2008, including holding a panel discussion on bullying following the premiere showing of Bully at the Kentucky Theater in April. The panel featured guest speakers from across the state, including Carol and Darryl Denham, parents of Sam Denham who died from suicide at the age of 13 in October 2011.
Support for the program also comes from Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Tom Shelton. “Efforts by school leaders, administrators, teachers and counselors will be strengthened by support from community groups like Lexington Fairness," Shelton said in a press release. "Project Speak Out provides training and resources for school professionals who have to deal with bullying incidences and their impacts daily. The program also aims to provide our students with as many adult allies as possible. By connecting community members with our school professionals, we will be able to reach more students and prevent bullying.”
Lexington Fairness recently premiered a bullying prevention video clip that will become part of the Project Speak Out trainings. The video captures interviews with parents of bullied children as well as discussions with youth including Zoe Chin, close friend of Sam Denham, and Alex Meadows, a transgender college student. The video has received much public attention via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, and Vimeo, and with donations and public support, more interviews will be included. Click here to see the video.
For more information about Project Speak Out and the program’s bullying prevention trainings: Lexington Fairness, www.lexfair.org, 859-951-8565.