Halfpenny: "North East kids are too scared to be different"
Geordie actress Jill Halfpenny has told Metro Radio she's supporting anti-bullying workshops in Newcastle so kids are not scared to be different.
Geordie actress Jill Halfpenny has told Metro Radio she's supporting anti-bullying workshops in Newcastle so that local kids are not scared to be different.
The In The Club and Waterloo Road actress is supporting Kidscape's ZAP which is a national children's charity.
It runs ZAP workshops for young people aged 9-16 who have experienced bullying by encouraging the development of assertiveness skills and raising young people's confidence so that they are able to deal with bullying situations effectively.
Parents also attend a separate workshop on the day where they are given expert knowledge of how to effectively support their child.
Jill Halfpenny *told Metro;*
"I have been working with Kidscape for many years now and have been lucky enough to see the amazing work they do.** I was especially fortunate to be able to attend one of their ZAP sessions which had a huge effect on me. I was able to watch the transformation in the children in just one day as they realised they weren't alone and that other children felt the same as them. They suddenly had hope in their eyes and their faces began to smile as they realised it "wasn't just them".
I witnessed the incredible power of sharing and identification between them. It was truly moving and uplifting. I was also given the honour of being able to listen to the parents' stories and hear how incredibly painful it can be for families, because bullying affects loved ones too and it's important for the parents to share their experiences with others so they don't feel alone."