Imagine if we lived in a world where the cycle of bullying could be stopped
The Respect-ED program offered by the Canadian Red Cross aims to do just that. Offered to 20 high school students and four staff members from schools in Carlyle, Arcola, Manor and Stoughton, the two-day workshop focused on training youth to stand up against abuse in an attempt to prevent its cycle within their respective schools and communities.
The program, which is grassroots in focus, identifies that students are a significant part of the action against bullying and aims to provide them with the tools to fight back against the issue that affects so many youth, children and even adults in our communities. Five students in grades eight to 11 from each of the schools participated in the training in Carlyle. The objective was to have as much representation from different groups of students as possible in order to spread the training throughout the student body.
George Barker, Community Outreach Coordinator for the Respect-ED program in this area, said, "The purpose of the Respect-ED program is summed up in its mission: To break the cycle of abuse in all of its forms. The two-day workshop was presented to the [students] to show them how they can go about their schools and help their peers in handling the issues surrounding bullying."
"The purpose was to show that there are those who are bullied and they need help, there are bullies and they need help, and there are those who stand around and watch and they also need help. The workshop is an empowering tool to motivate and equip the youth, with the support of adults. Research and studies have shown peers help peers better than adults. Yet, in saying that, the youth need the utmost support of their adults in seeing this program succeed."
"Our youth need access to as much knowledge and help that they can get. But in saying that, it is not just about having information, but [about] making informed and good choices based on the knowledge received. It is another tool for the tool belt of life that they can draw upon."
Gordon F. Kells teacher Bryce Birch, one of the organizers of the event, stated "It was important to organize Respect-ED Training in Carlyle in order to offer the students from Manor, Arcola, Stoughton and Gordon F. Kells the opportunity to learn the necessary tools needed to help take action against bullying not only in the schools, but in our communities as well."
"It is important for the youth to participate in this program because students witness bullying 85 percent more of the time than teachers do. As a result, a student has a more likely chance of putting an end to the action of bullying than a teacher does because they are the bystander in lots of these circumstances."
"Students have more of an impact of standing up for a victim and showing them that there are people that care. Students have a powerful voice when used and this training helps them understand that voice, and gives them training in how they can use that voice. The feedback that I have received from the students is that they would like to do something, but they do not want to do it alone. This program shows students that there are other people that feel the same way."
"We are hoping that the students taking part in this training will take the initiative to help promote a safe and fun learning environment for our students. In Carlyle, we are hoping these students will help plan our next Pink Day."
"Going forward, Mr. Laforet and I will be meeting with our group of students on a regular basis to plan a course of action for our school and community going forward. The students are really excited about being a part of this program, and it is our job to continue to feed the excitement and continue the momentum from the training."
School councillor Jeff Laforet, one of the organizers of the event who had previously attended a Respect-ED program in Radville last year, "thought it would be very beneficial for our communities in the east[ern area of the school division] as well.
"If the youth do not buy into the fact that they have ownership over their own behaviours and can influence their peers as well, then no program will ever be successful. Respect-ED teaches the students that they have a voice that is valued and powerful. It is widely believed that many youth value their friends' opinions over authority figures. If these friends are equipped with positive, safe messages about helping others, success is far more likely."
"Respect-ED is a wonderful program, but only if we use it. Mr. Birch and I will be working with the students who participated on a regular basis to keep the enthusiasm and momentum going. We want to help these students get their message to the student body (and eventually the community) as a whole."
"In Carlyle, we have had great success with our Pink Day endeavour. However, as the Awareness Committee, we appreciate that Pink Day is only one tool in an arsenal that needs to be quite expansive. We need bullying to be addressed from all different angles, from students, parents, teachers, police, community members, etc. We hope that we have helped to get the students started in taking on their roles and responsibility in stopping bullying."
Cindy Weir, the staff member in attendance from Manor, stated "It was important for our students to attend the Respect-ED workshops to learn more about bullying and what they, themselves can do to stop it or prevent it from happening in their school. They learned what they could do in many different situations, which helped them to gain confidence to stand up and say something. I think the students gained understanding and a sense of responsibility by attending the workshop."
"As a result of the workshop, we are planning on forming a group within our school where other students can join in and learn more about what they can do to stop bullying. The students that attended the workshop plan to do some presentations to the younger students to help them better understand. We are already planning some events that will promote awareness and unite the school. We also hope to gain the support of some community clubs to help us get the message out there, that this isn't just a problem in the schools, that it is happening in other places as well. The Respect-ED training was just the beginning of good things to come for our school and community."
Those schools interested in having the training offered in their schools are encouraged to speak with Diane Francoeur at 721-1642 or diane.francoeur@redcross.ca or George Barker at 842-4513 or george.barker@redcross.ca
