KiVa is an innovative anti-bullying programme implemented in schools that has been developed through cutting-edge studies on bullying and its mechanisms. If you need more information, please visit KiVa’s official website, but in the meantime, here is a summary of the project:

Prevention, intervention and supervision

KiVa is an evidence-based programme that seeks to prevent bullying and effectively address its incidence. Prevention is key, but addressing it is also very important, as no prevention initiative can make bullying disappear once and for all; tools are needed when a case of bullying is detected. The third aspect of KiVa is the constant monitoring of the situation at school and the changes that are taking place; this is made possible by the online tools included in KiVa.

These tools generate annual feedback and data from each school on its implementation of the programme, as well as the results achieved.

The main components of KiVa

It includes both universal and specific measures. Universal measures such as the KiVa curriculum (lessons for pupils and online games) are aimed at all pupils and focus mainly on preventing bullying. Specific actions should be used when a case of bullying occurs. They specifically target children and teenagers who have been involved in bullying, either as perpetrators or as victims, as well as a number of classmates who are supposed to support the victim; the aim is to stop the bullying.

KiVa is based on decades of study on bullying and its mechanisms

Kiva was developed at the University of Turku, Finland, with funding from the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture. Its developers are experts who have been studying the phenomenon of bullying and its mechanisms for decades. The team is led by Dr. and Professor Christina Salmivalli and Dr. and Special Researcher Elisa Poskiparta.

Extensive evidence of effectiveness

There are numerous anti-bullying programmes on the market, but unfortunately very few of them have been tested in rigorous scientific studies. In this regard, there is no evidence that the programmes actually help to reduce bullying in schools.

The effects of the KiVa anti-bullying programme have been evaluated in numerous studies. In addition to studies based on data collection and analysed by our KiVa research group, data independently collected by the National Institute of Health and Welfare shows that bullying and victimisation have decreased in Finland since the large-scale implementation of KiVa.

The KiVa programme is currently being evaluated in several countries: the first international studies are emerging from the Netherlands, Estonia, Italy and the United Kingdom, which show that KiVa is also effective outside Finland.

Experience-based learning during lessons for KiVa students

The above measures are put in place when school staff are aware of a harassment situation. Each individual case is addressed in a series of individual and group discussions between the school’s KiVa team and the students involved. Several of the victim’s prosocial peers are challenged to support their bullied partner.

KiVa targets various age groups

KiVa has three units. Module 1 is designed for children between the ages of 6 and 9. Module 2 is suitable for children between the ages of 10 and 12. Module 3 is aimed at teenagers between the ages of 13 and 16. KiVa is not designed to be a one-year project, but a permanent part of the school’s anti-bullying initiatives.