An 18-year-old from Blackwood who was the victim of bullying has urged people to intervene when they see someone being bullied.
Lowri Jones was bullied at secondary school because of her height, but now wants us all to become “upstanders rather than bystanders.”
Her story is being told in a booklet which tells stories of what it feels like to be a victim of bullying.
The booklet, called A Chance To Change, has been created by Lowri and her friends with the help of Fixers, who are a campaign group aimed at giving young people a voice.
Lowri said: “I’m quite short, and I was bullied at secondary school because of my height and no one stepped in to help me. It made me feel really worthless, alone and isolated.
“To someone who is being bullied I’d say you’re not alone. You should look to get help from a friend, a teacher, a colleague, your parents or grandparents. Just someone you know you can trust.”
She added: “We know that bullies can bully for multiple reasons – because they’ve got low self-esteem and low self-confidence, or perhaps something’s happened to that person at home or maybe they’re being bullied themselves. So we thought we should look at that side of things as well, so the bully can get help if they want to.”
Lowri is hoping the booklet will be made available in local schools, colleges and youth clubs.
“Even if it helps one person then that would mean the world to me.
“Regardless of whether they are a bully or a target of bullying – they should know they are not alone and help is there if they need it.”
Since 2008 more than 23,600 young people have joined Fixers – creating more than 2,400 projects like Lowri’s.