Focus on Preventing Youth Violence and Bullying:
Research has shown that bullying inhibits students' ability to learn, results in physical and psychological damage to victims that can last a lifetime, and often leads to depression, mental health issues, alcohol abuse, and suicide. One of the most effective ways to protect against violence, according to the Surgeon General's Report on Youth Violence, is a non-violent school environment.
United Way staff, Youth & Lifelong Learning Council members and key stakeholders collaborated to strategize a number of community initiatives that will increase the knowledge of the parents, educators, policy makers and community stakeholder on the negative impact "bullying" has in our community. Our action plan includes eliminate bullying and harassment in our schools by supporting every school in our region to develop and implement the best possible anti-bullying policies and programs that will be ready to integrate in their curriculums when school starts in 2006.
"Everyone can live free from abuse and violence" is a very high priority goal for the people of Mid Coast Maine.
