Kindness Is Free: Boys & Girls Club’s Anti-Bullying Program Makes an Impact

Preventing bullying in schools – what works, and what risks making it worse

School bullying can have devastating effects on young people, yet not all anti-bullying programmes are effective—and some can even make things worse, particularly in secondary schools. While bystander-focused approaches often look promising, research shows they don’t always reduce bullying long-term. Evidence suggests the most effective programmes are comprehensive, long-term, and include parent involvement, firm discipline, and improved supervi…

Kindness is Free: Boys & Girls Club’s Anti-Bullying Program Makes an Impact

These students recently took Kindness is Free’s Kindness Pledge. PHOTO COURTESY BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF WSGV Since its inception in 2020, Kindness is Free (KiF), a bullying prevention program of Boys & Girls Clubs of West San Gabriel Valley (WSGV), has grown from a local, community-centered initiative to a national kindness movement. In just five years, KiF’s anti-bullying curriculum and programming have been implemented in more than 450 Boys & Gi…