SCHOOLCHILDREN from across Dorset took part in a conference to stamp out bullying.

The event, which was held at Green Technology Business Park, Winfrith Newburgh, focused on the Anti-Bullying Week topic of verbal bullying, ‘stop and think – words can hurt’.

PCSO Shelley Brady-Conolly, who works for the Safer Schools and Communities (SSCT) team, talked pupils through her experience.

She said: “I came out when I was 19 and although I wasn’t bullied at school, I did lose friends over it as people found it hard to accept what I had told them.

“At the time and before, it would have been really good to have someone who was there to listen to me and believe my side of the story. That’s what this conference is all about – making children and young people realise they don’t have to be alone. The Safe Schools and Communities team can provide one-on-one sessions and guidance and it can point children in the right direction of services available to them.

“But most importantly, what we do is listen.

“It’s important not to label someone and say: ‘You are this’ or ‘You are that’ when they are so young and impressionable.

“That’s what this campaign is all about – acceptance and understanding.’”

Shelley joined other speakers and anti-bullying campaigners to discuss what bullying means at the conference organised by Dorset County Council.

SSCT team manager and conference organiser Yvonne Surman said: “The conference was a resounding success with really positive feedback from all concerned.

“We had a consultation over strategy and future actions. Our young people spent the afternoon developing a Dorset young person’s anti-bullying policy.”

The aims of the annual Anti-Bullying Week are to challenge the use of derogatory language in schools, raise awareness of the consequences of such language and give children the tools to challenge others who use it.

Anti-Bullying Week was organised by The Anti-Bullying Alliance which brings over 130 organisations together in a bid to stop bullying.