Cartoon Network UK Expands Anti-Bullying Initiative

Cartoon Network UK has partnered with soccer players Danny Rose and Georgia Stanway to launch the latest phase of its anti-bullying campaign, CN Buddy Network.

Launching in time with National Anti-Bullying Week and World Kindness Day, the initiative encourages kids and young people to “Be a Buddy, Not a Bully” and aims to raise awareness and empower young people to take positive action against bullying. Rose and Stanway are set to appear in an on-air campaign on Cartoon Network that includes an original series of animated shorts encouraging kindness among kids and celebrating differences.

Cartoon Network is also collaborating with Childline, the leading U.K. helpline for children and young people to provide immediate advice and support for those in need. Bullying and online bullying remain the number one reason that children aged 11 and under contact ChildLine, with 2,289 (14 percent) of the charity’s total counseling sessions (15,851) relating to online bullying.

Kids can visit cartoonnetwork.co.uk/beabuddy for more information, resources, professional advice and tips and visit Cartoon Network UK’s YouTube channel to watch the original animated shorts and video messages from Rose, Stanway, Ian Wright, Jordan Pickford and Tinie Tempah.

Stanway said: “I wanted to work with Cartoon Network on this as it’s a cause I believe in. I was bullied through school because I played football and that wasn’t the normal thing to do for girls back then. But I stood up to those bullies and I want to encourage all kids to do the same. You never need to be alone in this. It’s one of the reasons I’m so happy to have the support of my teammates today.”

Rose said: “I got involved in CN Buddy Network because bullying is an important issue that affects most people at some point in their lives and, with the rise of social media, kids are even more exposed to it. For any young person affected by online bullying, they should try to ignore it or tell someone—a safe adult or one of your mates.”

Childline counselor Marnie Winter-Burke added: “We know that bullying, whether it happens online or offline, can take over a child’s world and have a devastating impact on them and their family, leading in some cases to serious mental health problems and even suicide. Every year at Childline, we provide support to thousands of young people who are struggling with bullying and have nowhere else to turn. This Anti-Bullying Week we want to remind young people how important it is to talk to someone they trust—be it a friend, parent, teacher or a Childline counselor. We are also encouraging children to remember that just a few words of support can make a massive difference to a friend who is being bullied.”