Pam Gockley is on a mission to eliminate bullying in Berks and beyond. What started as a writing project to share her own story has grown into a much larger initiative. Today, she is the Executive Director of The Camel Project, an awareness and prevention program she hopes to one day see in every school district in Pennsylvania.
What makes The Camel Project different from other bullying programs? Bullying is created by out-of-balance thoughts and emotions, and people who exhibit that kind of behavior will continue it their entire life unless there is some type of interruption. That’s why we work with school-aged children, corporations, all the way through retirement communities and assisted living facilities. People like to classify bullying as an anomaly, but we think it’s more of a commonality, and until people recognize that, they’re never going to change their behavior.
Can you tell me a little bit about your programming? We meet people wherever they are. Our Stop Bullying, I Care! program is really a whole community, holistic approach. So, for example, if we go into a school district, we work with everyone from the administration all the way to the crossing guards. We want to make sure all the adults are on the same page, so that they can help make it easier for the students to adapt their behavior. And we work on changing the behavior not only of the bullies, but also the targets and the bystanders. We’ve really broadened the vision of what a bullying elimination program needs to be. We want to help all of our communities end this culture of violence we have created.
What was your motivation to start this project? I was bullied as a kid. I was an undiagnosed dyslexic, so I got picked on. I fell behind, got angry and ended up getting in some trouble. The school essentially gave up on me, but I still went on to get two college degrees, write five books and start my own technology company. After the Parkland, FL, shooting in 2018 I realized that people simply weren’t connecting trauma like I experienced with the bullying behavior that leads to mass shootings. So, I wrote my first book, Not All Camels Are in the Desert. It’s my life story and is meant to let students know they aren’t alone, and it kicked off this program.
Are you already in local schools? Not just yet, but we’re running a few pilot programs now. We’ve talked to a number of schools, universities and organizations, but of course everything has been up in the air with the pandemic. We’re ready to go; we’re just waiting for access.
You mentioned a tech company; has The Camel Project replaced your full-time job? The project is definitely a full-time job, but my company is still thriving as well. We do website and content development and maintenance. So, I guess now I kind of have two full-time jobs. But when you find your authentic self, the work and hours don’t matter. You look forward to it.
Get the Scoop. Pam hosts monthly Zoom presentations for anyone interested in taking a closer look at the program. For a schedule of events and to learn more, visit thecamelproject.org.
Follow that Bus! The Camel Caravan is a branded bus that the team drives around town to raise awareness. According to Pam, “If I can’t get your attention with a 40-foot bus, I don’t know what else I can do!”
