Hi, this is Jenn. I don’t think I’m a technology geek but I like to have my phone around. If you use your mobile a lot and cannot fall asleep without sharing a few snaps on your social media, you are just like me. I’m working together with some specialists from the Anti Bullying Group. It’s an organisation of teachers, school counsellors and students which gives support to everybody who has experienced bullying.

I have experienced cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is abusing people on the internet. It involves sending intimidating emails or text messages, posting nasty comments or sharing photos that can be embarrassing for the victim.

Last summer I spent a fantastic holiday by the sea. We took a lot of great photos with my best friend Lea and decided to share them on our social media. The nightmare began when school started. I can’t believe people can be so mean!

On the first day of school we discovered loads of ugly comments about our photos. And then, to make things worse, someone edited one of the photos and gave us horrible piggy noses and tails. The photo went viral. Everyone at school was sharing it and laughing behind our backs. We felt awful. I tried to delete the photos from my profile but it was too late, they were all over the internet.

We were lucky. Our Maths teacher saw me crying in the school corridor. I told her everything. She took me and Lea to the headmaster’s office. We talked a lot and the teachers suggested we see a specialist.

Our school counsellor, Mrs Smith, was very helpful. We talked about what happened and how I felt about it. Thanks to her support, I realised that bullying was not my fault. I had every right to feel angry and embarrassed.

After the incident, our school organised workshops with counsellors. Everyone could talk to them and they gave us a lot of advice on how to behave if we witness bullying. We found out there is no one, ready‑made solution, because every case is different. The best way to stop bullying is to act right away and talk to adults.

It’s really important to understand what bullying is and that it is not acceptable. Communicating with your schoolmates is not always easy. Sometimes even friends can say mean or nasty things. In such a situation it is best to have an open conversation and discuss your friend’s behaviour with them.

The Anti Bullying Group asked me and Lea to join them and take part in some of their workshops on cyberbullying for teenagers. Every month we visit different schools and talk about what we went through and how we got help. At first we were a bit ashamed to talk to other students but we could see they were really interested. It feels great to be a part of the project!

This whole experience has taught me three things. First of all, when I am in trouble, I should ask for help. Secondly, it is important to be nice to people around you because good energy creates good energy. My last tip is – think twice before you post a photo on your social media – remember that absolutely everything you post on the internet stays there forever!