Oscar Yildiz & Bully Free Australia Foundation

Oscar Yildiz JP, past teacher and current Mayor of Moreland gave us of one of the most impacting addresses which the club has heard in sometime.   

His topic was bullying.

Most of us are well aware of the presence of such behaviour in Australia, but Oscar’s revelation of its extent and effects especially among the young people in grades 4 to 9 was daunting.   Relaying statistics of youth suicides and the quoted observation that in about 80% of the time “bullying” is a contributing factor brought home the seriousness of the problem.  

It seems that modern society with the internet and like forms of immediate communication has proliferated “cyber bullying” in addition to the continued and familiar school yard and work place varieties. Faced with relentless contact from external and often anonymous persons who by the nature of their communication are bullying, many recipients cannot cope, lose self-esteem and worse.  Moreover there is a natural tendency to combat it in isolation and compound the problem, often leading to long term psychological scars or self-destructive behaviour.

Oscar explained that his own personal experiences with many victims prompted him last year to set up with the help of other like-minded volunteers the “Bully Free Australia Foundation”.  Now comprised of volunteers only it is seeking to provide a forum to help/alert victims to possible remedies and lobby government and society to further recognise the issue and address it

Oscar explained his current informal role as an always open “hot line” to help (he answers calls in the dead of night!), and the goal of the foundation to staff it with professional counsellors, hence the funding and organisational needs.     Careful not to be seen as an expert Oscar nevertheless pointed out that a first simple advice to any  victim would be talk to someone about the bullying problem, parent , teacher, friend, anyone.

Thanks to Oscar for a wonderful and informative address on a topical and pervasive problem in society.  The club readily endorses your initiatives with Bully Free Australia Foundation.