Celebrating Anti-Bullying Week with words of kindness

In celebration of this year’s Anti-Bullying Week, which took place from 15-19 November 2021, we created a Kindness Campaign to anonymously thank and share a few kind words in hopes of uplifting staff and students and promoting kindness within our department.

In recognition of this year’s theme ‘One Kind Word,’ we created a poster populated with comments from staff and students to encourage them to share kindness throughout our department. We took this opportunity to anonymously thank and share a few kind words for those in the department who deserve to be appreciated.

“In a world that can sometimes feel like it’s filled with negativity, one kind word can provide a moment of hope. It can be a turning point. It can change someone’s perspective. It can change their day. It can change the course of a conversation and break the cycle of bullying.” - Anti-Bullying Alliance

Here are a few kind words that we came up with:

• You have an infectious smile
• I love working with my team as they are more like family than colleagues 
• I always feel supported by my team. They’re always there believing in me, even when I doubt myself 
• I feel very lucky to have some lovely colleagues who I work with, who support and encourage me. 
• I really appreciate working in a department where people are so responsive, empathetic, and efficient. We have some really amazing people working here!
• Happy thoughts, good vibes, you have got this!
• I feel supported because my course administrator, directors and batchmates are super nice. I could overcome a difficult phase in my life and homesickness because of them. Thank you!
• I appreciate the expressions of support and faith in my abilities at work, from colleagues and acquittances, that help bolster me up when I waiver in my confidence. Saved in a go-to folder, they not only do me good when they are first shared but can sustain me at other times too!
• Our team is great! Lovely to work with such positive people who are always willing to help each other out.
• Someone in the team always notices when I’m having a bad day and will ask ‘How are you?’
• My line manager has been incredibly supportive to me during a particularly hectic time, by giving me positive, encouraging feedback and by creating more space and time for me to get the most important work done. They have been especially good at reminding me to check my work/life balance and to take breaks. That has meant that I feel not only supported, but also empowered, and rested enough to go that extra mile to ensure success. 
• My team are incredible. They are hardworking, keep on top of the work, but always make time at our twice weekly meetings to ask how everyone is, how their family is managing, and are incredibly supportive of everyone’s needs. They are phenomenal. 
• I am grateful to my line manager and the team because despite some serious health problems I have had with some permanent effects, I feel valued and respected in the team. I feel optimistic about my future thanks to the support I have had, not just from my team, but from NDS in general. 
• For my supervisor’s PA who posted a box of Christmas pick-me-ups to my home address because she knew I was going through a rough patch. I will never forget this act of kindness. 
• To the admin team member who religiously looks out for my research post returns envelopes, just to help out and then sends me a smiling emoji when there’s a whole bunch... you are lovely.
• I would like to show my appreciation for my co-worker who has shown me empathy and support in times of need and has been an unconditional listener with words of wisdom to offer me too. Thanks 

View the NDS Kindness Campaign poster

“It starts with one kind word. It starts today.” - Anti-Bullying Alliance

NDS and the University of Oxford has a zero-tolerance approach to harassment and bullying; and are fully committed to supporting individuals who feel they have been, or are being, harassed or bullied. Please visit the bullying and harassment page on the NDS website if you feel you are being treated unfairly and need advice.