For a kid who doesn't have that strong sense of self, I do think that Austin's idea of befriending the hangers-on is a good idea. Finding people on the outskirts of the group--not those in the center of the gang, but the ones trying hard to fit in or the ones who are similarly alone--is a good plan for cultivating pockets of resistance to the bully. Bullies target the weak and alone. If a child is not weak or not alone--either one!--that child is a less attractive target.
You can seek to be a natural leader by developing direct relationships with everyone in the group. I think that is what Ebeth's son wants to do, but he just needs some instruction on what works and what is not acceptable. Most bullies can be countered by being their friend. That should be his eventual goal, assuming the bully is not a sociopath. It should not be a zero-sum game.
