Do Anti Bullying Programs Work?

There is much argument as to whether anti bullying programs are effective or not and there are many articles on the web that give both for and against arguments.
I believe that there is definitely a place for anti bullying programs - if a school does not attempt at all to change its culture then we may as well pack up and go home.
In implementing an anti bullying program however, the school needs to be serious and committed to seeing it though, a half-hearted, half-baked message will only make matters worse. An anti bullying program if run effectively can let the students and parents know that as a school you are serious about reducing bullying and becoming a NO BULLY school.

For anti bullying programs to work a number of things need to happen.
Everyone needs to be onboard: Firstly it needs to be a whole school approach, this means every one needs to be involved, teachers, parents, students, administration and even if possible, the bus drivers, the community.
There needs to be a long-term commitment in implementing the program and a commitment from all involved to being involved in the program.
If the teachers have attitude toward it (negative that is) the students will pick it up immediately and you can kiss any effectiveness goodbye. Having an effective and active anti bullying policy in place is vital: A policy that isn't created and then just sits in a filing cabinet - it needs to be an active, alive, usable document with rules and consequences laid out.
Parents, students, and teachers - everyone needs to know what it is all about.
And it needs to be implemented - and implemented consistently.
Bullying behavior is dealt with according to the level of severity, and all students - the target, and those who are bullying are firstly helped and then followed up to see if change is taking place.
If this is not done, once again any change to the culture of the school goes out the window.

Monitoring of how the program is going: It would help to have a team of staff and parents who are involved in seeing the policy and program implemented as it was intended.
To review the program each year - how is it going, are we seeing changes, how could we improve on what we are doing? Training of teachers, parents and students: Teachers need to be trained in how to identify bullying behavior; how to help prevent it and also how to intervene if they see it happening. If the school is using a method in dealing with bullies, for example, the 'Method of Shared Concern', then all teachers need to know how it works.
They need to know what to do if a student comes to them and reports bullying. Parents need to be trained on how they can approach the school if they are concerned about their child and also how they can help their child if they are being bullied or if their child is a bully. Training for students: is the main part of an anti bullying program.

It is important to train students in social skills as well as looking at the whole bullying issue at school.

Implemented into classes for example in citizenship, personal development or pastoral care sessions.

Also this training needs to be ongoing - not just a one-off year level program but a message that students are given every year and then reminders though out the year. It is not just the schools responsibility either, parents also need to see their role as being one that is of great importance in Breaking the Cycle of Bullying.