The KiVa anti-bullying programme in Finland provides ways to enhance empathy, self –efficacy and to support the victimized peers. Developed in the University of Turku in Finland, with funding from the Finnish Ministry of Education, the diffusion of KiVA to Finnish comprehensive schools started in 2009. 90% of all comprehensive schools are registered KiVa schools implementing the program.
Although KiVa shares some elements with other existing anti-bullying programs, it has many innovative elements that differentiate it from them. First, KiVa includes a broad and encompassing array of concrete and professionally prepared materials for students, teachers, and parents. Rather than offering “guiding principles” to school personnel, it provides them with a whole pack of activities to be carried out with students. Second, KiVa harnesses the powerful learning media provided by the Internet and virtual learning environments. Third, KiVa focuses on the bystanders, or witnesses of bullying, by actually providing ways to enhance empathy, self-efficacy, and efforts to support the victimized peers among the students.
A Large-Scale Evaluation of the KiVa Antibullying Program has been carried out for Grades 4 to 6. The results indicate that this program is effective in reducing school bullying and victimization in Grades 4-6. Results from the evaluation can be found at the following link: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01557.x/full
See:http://www.kivakoulu.fi/there-is-no-bullying-in-kiva-school
