Kiusamisvaba Kool (Bullying-Free School)

Bullying is a widespread problem that hinders learning and damages mental health. In Estonian schools, studies find that one in five children, or even one in four in some schools and grades, say that they have experienced bullying in the last few months.  Being a victim of bullying can result in anxiety, depression, problems with self-esteem, and suicidal thoughts. 

SA Kiusamisvaba Kool (trans. Bullying-Free School) promotes a research- and evidence-based anti-bullying programme, KiVa in Estonia, created by the University of Turku in Finland. The programme teaches children and school communities how to recognise and respond to bullying incidents. The programme has three pillars: prevention lessons with the homeroom teacher to enhance children’s social and emotional competence, handling bullying incidents, and outcome surveys. In the ten years the programme has been around, a quarter of Estonian schools have joined it. Kiusamisvaba Kool is based on the vision that by 2035, Estonian society will have a heightened awareness of creating and maintaining safe and caring relationships at schools where bullying has no place. 

The Good Deed Foundation has been with Kiusamisvaba Kool since the beginning – we helped analyse different anti-bullying programmes based on their impact and cost and helped launch the project. We have contributed to the activities of the Kiusamisvaba Kool’s Council by including management and financial competence. We have assisted in polishing the organisation’s economic model. We have directed Good Deed’s Impact Fund’s monetary contributions to the cultivation of the team and the piloting of the schools’ support mentor model to maintain and develop the quality of programme implementation.