Earlier this week Saskatchewan's Education Minister Don Morgan and Legislative Secretary Jennifer Campeau joined nearly 100 youth from across the province at the first annual Student First Anti-Bullying Forum. The purpose of the forum is to hear from students about some of the challenges they face and engage them in finding solutions to help ensure young people are acting appropriately and responsibly in our schools, communities and online.
"We know that young people are the most affected by bullying and we need their input as we work to address bullying," Morgan says. "We take this issue very seriously."
"We need to continue to engage young people in conversation and solution building to ensure the actions taken have a positive impact in their lives," Campeau adds. "The forum will provide youth with valuable leadership skills and experiences to become role models for their younger peers and will inspire confidence to make change in their local communities."
Dr. Alec Couros from the University of Regina facilitated the day, and spoke to youth about appropriate and responsible online behaviour to learn, collaborate and communicate. "It is, without any exaggeration, an honour to be chosen to participate in this public forum on the subject of bullying," Vanier Collegiate in Moose Jaw Grade twelve student Ruben Deason says "This opportunity to speak and share our views and opinions on such a vital topic is essential, and public forums like this one will lead the way to great strides forward."
For more information on anti-bullying and to view Saskatchewan's Action Plan to Address Bullying and Cyberbullying visit www.education.gov.sk.ca/Anti-Bullying. For more information on the "I Am Stronger Campaign" visit http://iamstronger.ca/.
