February 2023 – Counsellor Talk : Creative Collaborative Connections

When it comes to Bullying and Cyberbullying in youth, you can make a difference, so let it begin with you.

When someone does or says something that is unintentionally hurtful and they do it once It’s being RUDE

When someone says or does something intentionally hurtful and they do it twice, It’s being MEAN

When someone says or does something intentionally hurtful and you tell them to stop or show them you are upset that is BULLYING

Used with permission by Trudy Ludwig

We all need to HALT when it comes to bullying and cyberbullying. If your organization needs a bullying policy you could start here with the beginning of one I created many years ago.

Humane Actions Leads to Tolerance

Anti-bullying policy

EVERYONE BELONGS

If we create a society where we treat each other with dignity and respect, we must begin looking at ourselves and see what we can change.

We need to :

A ccept ourselves the way we are at this moment

B elieve we are capable of change

C are about the thoughts and feelings of others

D ecide to take action

E ncourage others to not be bystanders

Definition of Bullying

Bullying is … put your own updated definition here.

Affirmations for your youth:

I am responsible for how I act

I am responsible for what I say

I am responsible for what I do

I treat myself with dignity and respect

I treat others with dignity and respect

It is important in all communities to develop a climate of understanding where we all make a commitment to understanding ourselves and others better.

Sometimes we need to HALT. We need to stop and think about what we are doing to others and to ourselves. When we stop and reflect we can often see things from someone else’s point of view. We need to create HOPE for the future by what we do today.

Check here to see what Alberta says about bullying policies and legislation. We all need to work together to provide a safe environment for our youth. We need to find ways to promote healthy relationships for everyone. Cyberbullying is protected by law and there are legal consequences. The Education Act was revised in 2012 to define bullying as “repeated and hostile or demeaning behaviour by an individual in the school community where the behaviour is intended to cause harm, fear or distress to one or more other individuals in the school community, including psychological harm or harm to an individual’s reputation.” We all need to work together to make sure all youth are protected.

We all make mistakes and are in the process of learning. It is our job to help youth see that their actions matter, however we need to model for kids appropriate behaviour online and off.

You have such an opportunity to make a difference. How will you spread love and hope in the world, letting others know that bullying and cyberbullying are never ok?

I know that everything I say and do online and off matters. There are so many ways to improve your online behaviour , but focusing on 10 can begin the process for yourself today. PAUSE before POSTING might be one.

When you collaborate to STOP bullying , it can make all the difference. Who in your community can you collaborate with? Don’t reinvent the wheel find ways to make the wheel better.

Remind yourself that what you say and do can impact a youth for a lifetime.

It is so important to keep updated. It is becoming increasingly complex to detect when something is false information. You can use snopes and other online tools. Detecting false information is something we all need to learn how to do. Media Smarts provides digital literacy lessons for Canadian youth that you may find helpful.

There are so many ways you can find teachable moments in your day. Brainstorm with your staff ways in which you can intentionally create these moments.

When you create a healthy environment and relationship with youth will , they will find ways to make anti-bullying a priority.

So go ahead and treat youth with loving actions , being respectful of who they are and the developmental stage they are at presently.

You are already doing so many things right. Focus on all the things you have done up to now, and find small ways to make things better.

It’s up to all of us to work together to create safe communities. Find opportunities to have meaningful discussions throughout the year that will impact all in a positive way.

We are all in this together, learning new things everyday. So be patient with yourself and others.

Take time today to think of what you are doing right and what you could be doing better as a leader, educator or someone who works with youth.

In this ever changing world we need to be more prepared now than ever. We all need to keep learning and growing.

So let it begin with you when it comes to anti-bullying and cyberbullying initiatives. What do you plan to do?

Resources

Anti bullying books etc. google slides

Bullying Prevention NASP national Association of school Psychologists

Bullying Help: Resources and Partners | Learning for Justice

BULLYING AWARENESS TOOLKIT

Cyberbullying

Cyber Bullying-Grade 7 AHS

Cyber Bullying Grade 8

Cyber Bullying – Grade 9

Dare to Care programs

Make social media great again

OER commons Bullying

OER commons cyberbullying

Alberta Government Bullying Hotline 1. 888.456.2323

Kid’s Help Phone 1.800.668.6868

Calgary Police resources:

Bullying Calgary Police resources

Cyberbullying Calgary Police services

Parent Websites

Advice for Parents — Delete Cyberbullying
Family Education Network is a commercial site where parents find practical guidance, grade-specific information about their children’s school experience, strategies to get involved with their children’s learning, free email newsletters, and fun and entertaining family activities.
First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada: The purpose of the Caring Society is to promote the well being of all First Nations children, youth, families and communities with a particular focus on the prevention of, and response to, child maltreatment.
The Government of Alberta Parent Link Centre helps you to help your child by providing information and support for parents and caregivers on how to assist with your child’s learning, development and health.
The Search Institute is an independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide leadership, knowledge, and resources to promote healthy children, youth, and communities.

Websites