KiVa is an anti-bullying program that was developed in Finland. The effectiveness of KiVa has been shown in a large scale trials. In Finland, KiVa is a sought-after program: 90% of all Finnish schools are registered KiVa schools implementing the program.

The Components of KiVa

The KiVa program involves both universal and specific actions to prevent bullying and to tackle cases of bullying coming to attention.

Universal actions are targeted at all pupils. Children learn how to build their capacity to work co-operatively, behave in constructive ways, to take responsibility for not encouraging bullying, and how to support victims of bullying.

Specific actions take place when bullying has come to the attention of staff. Each particular case is handled in a series of individual and group discussions between the school’s KiVa team and the students involved.

KiVa is not a project, but a permanent part of the school’s antibullying work and runs alongside our PSHE scheme of work.