Out-of-school time programs fill the gap for working parents and communities concerned about how and where youth spend their free time. Professionals and volunteers in this field cover a diverse range of activities and organizations.

• They assist in extracurricular activities as coaches in sports and recreations; instructors of dance, art and music; advisers for academic clubs; and leaders of faith and worship groups.
• They work part-time or full-time to teach new knowledge and skills in after-school and tutoring programs; computer labs; homework centers; apprenticeships; entrepreneurial and job training; and in experiences in camping, scouting and service learning.
• Many are staff, volunteers, and youth leaders with large national and community-based organizations (e.g., Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, 4-H Clubs and YMCAs, along with many others) who enhance every aspect of children's lives - academics; social, artistic, and athletic skills; morality; and citizenship.   

Because of the diversity of out-of-school time programs, it is difficult to compare or generalize the results. What is clear, however, is that good programs with active youth participation can reduce delinquency and improve social and cognitive skills of children and youth (National Institute of Out-of-School Time, 2003; Miller, 2005).

While students report that most bullying happens at school, bullying does not stop at the end of the school day. Children and youth are also involved in bullying in out-of-school time programs. Although there is very little research on bullying in these settings, a recent national study of sixth through tenth graders in the U.S. (Nansel et al, 2003) found that:

• Nine percent of boys and 5 percent of girls reported that they had been bullied away from schools "sometimes" or "weekly" (compared with 16 percent of boys and 11 percent of girls who reported being bullied at school).
• Children who bully and who are bullied (both in school and away from school) are more likely than other children to be involved in fighting and carry a weapon. In fact, 70 percent of boys and 30-40 percent of girls who were involved in bullying outside of school on a weekly basis reported carrying a weapon in the past month.

Challenges & Opportunities

Out-of-school time settings present some particular challenges and opportunities for preventing and addressing bullying.

Challenges

• Bullying thrives where there is not enough supervision. When adult staff and volunteers supervise large numbers of youth, bullying may go unnoticed.
• Adults who do not interact with children regularly (e.g., meet once or twice a week and for brief periods) are often unfamiliar with the youths' personalities, behavior patterns, and friendships. This can make it difficult for adults to tell the difference among bullying, rough play, and conflicts between youth and to know how and when to intervene.
• Staff with extended-day programs may find that bullying during the school day carries over into before- and after-school activities.

Opportunities

• Some children learn best from less structured, hand-on experiences and without the pressure and competition typical in the classroom setting. Out-of-school time programs can easily integrate lessons that build self-control, confidence, and even resilience to bullying.
• Children usually bully peers who are their same age or younger. In out-of-school time settings that include children of different ages, younger children may be at risk for being bullied. This offers an o
• Children and youth who are bullied at school can benefit greatly from taking part in activities that allow them to pursue their interests and discover their talents and develop friendships with peers who share these interests. Doing so can increase their self-assurance and self-esteem. Children who are bullied also may benefit from having a chance to make friends with peers other than their classmates. Sometimes it can be a relief for these children to interact with peers who don't go to their school and who don't view them as a victim of bullying.
• Children and youth who bully others in school tend to spend time with peers who support their bullying and who have positive attitudes toward violence. They, too, may benefit from community programs that separate them from their classmates. In closely supervised and structured settings, it is possible to challenge children who bully to use their social skills in constructive and appropriate ways.

Help prevent bullying in your program

There are many things that you, as youth-serving professionals and volunteers can do to help prevent bullying in your program.

1. First and foremost, set a good example. Children will use the words and actions they see us using. If they see us yelling at others, saying rude things, or treatly others disrespectfully, what will they learn to do?  Children are sponges, and they learn by the examples we set for them. As youth-care providers, we can use our choices, words and actions to model respectful behaviors and peaceful problem solving.
2. Learn about bullying, its warning signs, and effects, and investigate thoroughly if you suspect bullying.
3. Have an anti-bullying program and policies in place. Being proactive and prepared is esential to successfully combatting bullying on your program. Establish clear rules about bullying behavior in your out-of-school setting and continually reinforce the message that bullying is not acceptable behavior. Make sure all staff and volunteers are familiar with them. Watch to make sure all staff and volunteers are following your policy. Stop bullying when it happens in your program.
4. Create safe environments that are free from hostility and intimidation. Adults must be committed to creating environments where children and youth feel safe and cared for by adults.Closely supervise children and youth in your care and interrupt bullying whenever it occurs. Arrange special interventions to protect children who are bullied as well as interventions for children who bully. Follow up to monitor the results.
5. Talk to the kids often about the issue of bullying. Perhaps they're being bullied, maybe the see it happening to others, or maybe they've even been the one doing the bullying. Engage children and youth in discussions and other activities that explore the problem of bullying. Talk about what bullying means. Teach them that bullying is unacceptable and can be dangerous.  Be clear about your expectations and consistently discipline when bullying occurs.  Help children understand the meaning and positive roles of friendship. Teach that people can be different in many ways. Help children chose positive and respectful friends. Help children choose TV, music and video programs that promote respect, kindness, and understanding.
6. Encourage young people to speak out to help Stop Bullying Now! Teach children and youth that they all have roles to play in bullying prevention. Teach them to report it to you (and how to properly report it) when they are being bullied or see bullying happening to others. Help them understand that reporting bullying is not "tattling". "Tattling" is telling on someone to get them in trouble. "Reporting" is telling an adult so everyone can be safe. 
7. Encourage interested children and youth to take leadership roles in preventing bullying in their schools and communities. Students may participate on anti-bullying committees to assess and plan bullying prevention strategies, plan and conduct bullying prevention projects, inform school personnel and parent/community groups about bullying in personal testimonies, lead discussion groups with teens and tweens (children aged 9 through 13) about how they can help prevent and stop bullying, and become a mentor to younger children.
8. Provide support to parents. Dispel myths about bullying and inform parents about ways to protect their children. Distribute fact sheets from the Campaign to parents and direct them to additional resources on the Campaign's web-site.pportunity to call upon older adolescents to mentor or protect younger children or others who may be particularly vulnerable to bullying.
9. Support comprehensive bullying prevention in schools and communities. Out-of-school time programs are well-placed to raise awareness about bullying and to form local coalitions to reduce and prevent bullying. Most youth organizations have long-standing alliances that bring together the critical partners: children, parents, schools, churches, businesses, and community leaders.

Find out more about how you can incorporate anti-bullying messages in your interaction with youth here. In addition, you may find the Youth Organizations Video Workshop helpful. 

The Bullying Awareness & Prevention Alliance (BAPA) welcomes the opportunity to work with you and your out-of-school program to help make our schools and communities safer for our children, and provide an opportunity for our children to live, learn and grow without fear of harassment or bullying.