KiVa, that means “nice” in Finnish, is also an acronym for the Finnish phrase “Kiusaamista Vastaan” which means “against bullying”. The KiVa programme is a school based antibullying intervention designed to prevent bullying, effectively address bullying cases, and reduce the risks of adverse mental health outcomes associated with bullying (including anxiety and depression). The programme is delivered to students aged 6-16 years, and adopts a whole-school approach to delivery in order to create an environment where bullying is not accepted. KiVa is therefore implemented as part of a permanent component of schools’ anti-bullying efforts.

KiVa is delivered as both a universal and targeted intervention; is integrated in the Personal and Social Education/ Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSE/PSHE) curriculum; and delivered by classroom teachers over the school year. KiVa has three age-specific units- units 1, 2 and 3. Units 1 and 2 are delivered in primary schools to students aged 6-9 years and 10-12 years respectively. These two units consist of ten structured lessons, with one lesson delivered monthly in two 45 minutes sessions (i.e. twenty 45 minutes sessions delivered over the school year, each session delivered fortnightly). The lessons teach inclusion, respect, emotions, diversity, group interactions, group pressure, empathy, social skills, conflict resolution and social responsibility. These lessons also address bullying from different viewpoints including spotting bullying, bullying as a group phenomenon, effects of bullying, not participating in bullying, providing support to bullied victims, and standing up against bullying. The universal programme also includes access to age-specific KiVa online games (for school and home use), that help increase understanding of taught lessons and themes. Unit 3 is delivered in secondary schools to children aged 13-16 years. Unit 3 is currently being trialled in the UK, and not yet widely in use. It consists of four themes namely group interactions, me and others, forms and mechanisms of bullying, as well as consequences and counterforces of bullying.

As an indicated intervention, KiVa is used to tackle identified bullying cases through a series of KiVa team facilitated discussions with perpetrator(s) and victim. Support for victimised peer is sought from high profile classmates, and parents (of victim and perpetrator) are involved.

KiVa is delivered using materials including teachers’ manuals, student lessons, parents’ guide, newsletters, and online games. Activities conducted include group work, discussions, video clips, role-play, and written assignments. Visual symbols (including posters and recess supervisors’ vests) are used as a reminder of schools’ involvement in the KiVa antibullying programme.

Fidelity

KiVa programme fidelity is monitored through implementation of the following measures;

1. Training and support for local trainers
2. Local trainer check-in with schools to assess programme implementation
3. KiVa coordinator documentation of lesson delivered, and documentation of identified bullying cases
4. Completion of annual KiVa online survey to evaluate outcomes and follow programme progress

Modifiable Components

KiVa has been delivered in several countries including Finland, Sweden, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Japan, Estonia, Wales, and other parts of the UK. Programme materials are available in several languages including Finnish, English, Dutch, French, German, and Japanese. Utilisation of online content is dependent on availability of technical facilities. KiVa is also used to address cyberbullying.

Support for Organisation/Practice

Implementation Support

KiVa was developed in Finland by Professor Christina Salmivalli at Turku University, with funding from the Finnish Government. Implementation support in the UK is provided by the Children’s Early Intervention Trust Charity, Bangor, Wales (the KiVa UK Hub).

Staff within the KiVa UK hub provide training and support to local trainers. Local trainers go on to provide training and implementation support to schools’ KiVa coordinator and KiVa team lead. Staff at KiVa UK hub continue to provide telephone and email support to local trainers to address implementation problems, data collection enquiries, and other programme queries.

Licence Requirements

Licenses are required by trainers for the use of KiVa materials. Licenses are valid for two years, and can be renewed subject to training and payment of license renewal fee.    

Start-up Costs

Start-up costs include school registration with KiVa Finland via the KiVa UK hub. Annual registration costs for schools are £2. 50 per key stage 2 student in primary schools or per number of pupils accessing the programme. An additional £50 is paid by schools with fewer than 50 students. The registration cost is reduced in subsequent years.  For schools with more than 50 students, school registration costs £2.50 per student, with a minimum of £150 registration fee paid per annum. The registration fee gives schools the access to teacher materials, online resources (including online games) and annual child survey. KiVa practitioner training costs £600 per school. This includes one copy of units 1 and 2 manuals. If a local authority hosts a trainer, then the local authority can offer training to schools for free. Other costs can include programme manual per class teacher at £50 each, £7.50/ six school posters, £20/ pack of 100 rule cards, £8.35/ vest, and £37.50 for package of 6 posters and 4 vests.

The three day trainer training plus materials costs £1000. Trainer sponsors are required to pay an additional £1000 as license fees to KiVa Finland. The license permits the use KiVa material as trainers.

Building Staff Competency

Qualifications Required

KiVa is delivered in the classroom by classroom teachers. To support delivery in schools, a KiVa coordinator and KiVa team lead are appointed. The KiVa coordinator is a member of school staff, and is responsible for the general implementation of the universal programme. The KiVa team lead is a member of school staff, who co-ordinates the activities of the KiVa team for the components of KiVa delivered as an indicated intervention. The KiVa team typically consist of three members who can be school staff (e.g. teachers, and educational psychologists), or persons from the local community. KiVa team members need to be present at school for meetings on the day of confirmed bullying incident.

Training Requirements

Training prior to programme delivery is required. Two practitioners from the implementing school (who will act as the schools’ KiVa coordinator and KiVa team lead) attend the two-day training with a local trainer. Training covers registering and launching KiVa in schools; KiVa lesson content; KiVa materials; student support with online survey completion; accessing online content; and handling confirmed bullying cases. After training, the KiVa coordinator and KiVa team lead have the responsibility of delivering training and implementation support to other school staff, for universal and targeted delivery.

A three-day train the trainer course is also available. This training includes the two-day training for schools, and a third one-to-one day for trainers. Trainer training includes the structure and content of KiVa delivery in schools, and other trainer related topics e.g. recruitment advice, school support and logistic issues. Top-up trainer training is required every two years. A trainer will not typically be a member of staff from one school, but can be trained by other organisation (e.g. charity, local authority or health board) to provide training and support to schools within their agreed locality.

Supervision Requirements

Local trainers provide supervision to the KiVa coordinator and KiVa team lead. Typically, trainers checks-in at the KiVa schools (one or twice every school term) to check records of lessons delivered; and to help troubleshoot KiVa related queries.

Theory of Change

KiVa antibullying programme recognises the contributory and preventive role of the whole peer group to bullying. It therefore applies practical tools to make bullying related attitudes and behaviours be recognised as undesirable. This prevents bullying incidents, addresses bullying cases, and reduces the risks of adverse mental health outcomes associated with bullying (including anxiety and depression).

Values

KiVa is a school-wide antibullying programme for students aged 6-16 years. It is delivered as both a universal and indicated intervention, and is designed to prevent bullying, effectively address bullying cases, and reduce the risks of adverse mental health outcomes associated with bullying (including anxiety and depression).

• Does this approach align with the key values of your organisation?

Priorities

As a universal intervention, KiVa is delivered using one of three age-specific units; units 1 and 2 delivered in primary schools to students aged 6-9 years and 10-12 years respectively; and unit 3 delivered in secondary schools to students aged 13-16 years. Unit 3 is not widely in use in the UK, as it is currently being trialled. As an indicated intervention, KiVa is used to address identified bullying cases.

• Is preventing and reducing bullying in children aged between 6-16 years a priority for your organisation?
• Is the implemented programme intended to be delivered as both a universal and targeted intervention?
• Is your organisation looking to adopt a whole school approach to programme delivery?

Existing Initiatives

• Does your organisation have existing anti-bullying programmes for use in primary schools?
• Are the existing initiatives effective?
• Are there aspects addressed by KiVa that are not met by existing programmes?

Workforce

Two practitioners from the implementing school (who will act as the schools’ KiVa coordinator and KiVa team lead) attend the two-day training with a local trainer. They go on to train other school staff. The components of KiVa delivered as an indicated intervention is delivered by a three member KiVa team. They can be school staff or persons from the local community. As a universal intervention, KiVa is delivered in the classroom by classroom teachers.

• Are your practitioners interested in learning and delivering this programme?
• Has your organisation identified persons who can be the KiVa coordinator, KiVa team lead, and members of the KiVa team?

Technology Support

KiVa provides students with access to age-specific KiVa online games for school and home use. Students and school staff complete an annual online survey to support outcome evaluation and monitor programme progress.

• Will students and staff be provided with technology to allow them access online content, and complete online survey?

Administrative Support

KiVa antibullying programme is implemented as part of a permanent component of schools’ anti-bullying efforts. It is integrated in the PSE/PSHE curriculum, and delivered over the school year.

• Does your organisation have administrative capacity and systems for a school-wide intervention delivered over the school year?
• Do you have the capacity to deliver an intervention (year after year) as part of a permanent component of your organisation’s anti-bullying work?

Financial Support

Start-up costs include annual school registration of £2.50 per student accessing the programme. This fee is reduced in subsequent years. Schools with fewer than 50 students pay an extra £50, and schools with more than 50 students pay a minimum £150 registration fee. Two-day practitioner training costs up to £600 per school (for two practitioners). Local authority can host a trainer, and then offer free trainings to schools. Three-day trainer training cost £1000 per trainer; and licence fee for trainers costs £1000. Other implementation costs include programme manual at £50 each, £7.50/ six school posters, £20/ pack of 100 rule cards, £8.35/ vest, and £37.50 for package of 6 posters and 4 vests.

• Will practitioner training be financially supported by your organisation or an external organisation?
• Can funds be made available for registration costs for the number of students who will access the programme in your school?
• Can funds be made available for other implementation costs?
• Will your organisation train trainers? Can trainer training and licence fees be financially supported?

Comparable Population

KiVa is an antibullying programme for children aged 6-16 years. Evidence of effectiveness in children aged 6-12 years comes from students (aged 7-12 years) who attend Italian, Finnish and Swedish language schools that provide basic education.

• Is this comparable to the population your organisation would like to serve?

Desired Outcome

KiVa is designed to prevent bullying, effectively address bullying cases, and reduce the risks of adverse mental health outcomes associated with bullying (including anxiety and depression). Programme delivery is associated with significant improvements across several outcomes, including reduced bullying, lower levels of victimisation, lower anxiety levels, and improved social-cognitive processes.

• Are preventing and reducing bullying and its consequences (including risks of anxiety and depression) a priority for your organisation?
• Are there other primary outcomes that your organisation would like to achieve, which are outside the premise of the KiVa antibullying programme?