SNAP Stands for Safety Net Assertiveness Project.
Safety Net is a charity that works at keeping children safe. If you want to learn more please look at our website;
www.safety-net.org.uk.
Assertiveness is how to stand up for yourself without being mean.
Project is the work we do. Safety Net’s School Co-ordinator, Den McCartney, runs courses that are about being assertive for children aged 8-13 living in the Brighton and Hove area, most children who come have been bullied, others want to learn how we feel about situations rather than copying what our friends do. If we have enjoyed the course we can come and meet with the Participation Worker, Emma Lacey and be a member of the SNAP Steering group, so that’s why we call ourselves the SNAP Kids!
We do fun activities and chat about how the sessions Den runs can be improved; some of us now help her deliver them! We also think really hard about how we can let other children know about the techniques so they can feel good, decide for themselves when situations are risky and stand up to bullies at school or on the streets! It is all about us feeling empowered to keep safe, that means looking after ourselves!
That is how our song came about. We were getting to an end of one of Emma’s sessions and we had all been saying SNAP is fantastic, fun, great, fan dabby dosey, cool, exciting, brilliant, and good! We feel like this because we are now more assertive, have stopped bullies or are handling bullies better so they are not upsetting us any more! We want to tell children everywhere they can feel this good too! We had been chatting about how to do that and the whole afternoon Emma was singing Bulletproof by La Roux, she kept saying sorry it’s so catchy it’s in my head! At the end there were four of us, Jude, Billy, Jay and Tirion. One of us suddenly went we can change it, this time Bully we are BullyProof! Within minutes Billy was beat boxing Jude was rapping and the girls were singing. It was brilliant we all got very excited! Emma filmed us on our flip camera and kept giggling and said right guys I’ll look into us making a song about being BullyProof what do you think? YESSSSSSSSS PLEASEEEEEEEEEE we shouted!
Emma set about finding funds to do this and experts who could help us. Our next session Emma had set up leather chairs and put up X posters everywhere, cool we were X Factor judges! Emma played us lots of different music videos and we thought about how music can make you feel different emotions and can mean different things to different people. It was great fun! We chatted about what we wanted from our song. We decided it should:
• Make people feel sad and the beginning as it would describe bullying but by the end people would feel happy because we would have given advice and they would now know what to do
• It would give people confidence and courage
• We would show them there was light at the end of the tunnel
• We would make the Bully go away and stop them doing it again
• It would be catchy
• It would make people believe in themselves
2010 summer holidays came and we had four sessions with a man called Jack Kingslake from local charity Rhythmix. It was brilliant we played instruments, sang, rapped and most importantly wrote our own lyrics! We thought about how we felt when we were bullied and the techniques we have learned to keep safe. Emma said she thought we were very brave being so open but that is what is so great about SNAP, we all support one another and are kind so you feel you can be yourself. Some lyrics that were very good never made the final cut. Here are the lyrics:
BullyProof by the SNAP Kids
Why won’t they stop it?
When it is clear to see
That everyday they really torture me
Why do they put me through it?
Why can’t I say something back?
But it’s the courage that I seem to lack
But this time Bully I’ll be BullyProof
This time Bully I’ll be BullyProof
This time Bully I’ll be BullyProof
This time Bully I’ll be BullyProof
We’re the SNAP kids hear our shout
This song will get the bullies out!
So sing along let’s raise the roof
Our techniques will make you BullyProof
Listen closely to this rhyme
About the early warning signs
If your head is feeling dizzy
Throbbing, shaking, tummy fizzy
You should know
That something’s wrong
So listen carefully to our song
STOP THINK GO
They’re easy to know
STOP THINK GO
They’re easy to know
STOP THINK GO
They’re easy to know
STOP THINK GO
They’re easy to know
Stop and feel how you are
Are you at risk?
Have you gone too far?
Think now you have a voice!
Yes that’s right you’ve got a choice!
GO be assertive
You know it’s worth it
STOP THINK GO
STOP THINK GO
GO
GO
Don’t be sad
Don’t be mean
Be happy
And your life will be Bully Clean!
This time Bully I’ll be BullyProof
This time Bully I’ll be BullyProof
If a Bully comes your way
Saying the same thing everyday
Broken record is the way
It’s so easy its child’s play
Repeat yourself
Repeat yourself
Repeat yourself
Repeat yourself
Repeat yourself
Repeat yourself
Repeat yourself
Make the bullies go away!
Remain cool and be calm
It works like a charm
No thank you
No thank you
No thank you
No thank you
Stand tall and be strong
It won’t last long
Stop it
Stop it
Stop it
Stop it
This time Bully I’ll be BullyProof
This time Bully I’ll be BullyProof
Helping Hand
Helping Hand
You can use
You’re helping Hand
Helping Hand
Helping Hand
Find an adult when you can
Draw around your fingers and your thumb
Choose lots of adults
Even you’re Mum
On the fingers write their names
Someone who’ll listen
Not play nasty games
Up your sleeve are police and teachers
These people are there for you to speak to
So when you’re in a spot of trouble
Call these people on the double!
This time Bully I’ll be BullyProof
This time Bully I’ll be BullyProof
This time Bully I’ll be BullyProof
This time Bully I’ll be BullyProof
Please do listen to our song. If you download it all the money will go to Safety Net and put to great use at making other children aware of how they can keep themselves safe. If you want to learn more, would like to come to SNAP or are able to help make a video or large donation please contact Emma her email is emma.lacey@safety-net.org.uk.
A Special thanks to Jack, Emma, Tamsin, Dave and Adrian for helping us make this happen.
Stay Safe and Happy!
Beth, Billy, Danny, Harriet, Jude, Isaac, Natasha and Tirion xx
released September 29, 2010
