Violence in our community is a problem that needs to be tackled, and every year Shelwin House hosts a candlelight vigil to remember the victims of violence and work to find ways to stop violence, held in conjunction with the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. This year the vigil, hosted at Dr. Brass school, was focused on finding ways to stop bullying.
Nicole Prince, Outreach Worker for Shelwin House in Yorkton, says that they decided to focus on bullying because it’s a serious issue facing children today, and they wanted to raise awareness, both among kids themselves and the community around them.
“A lot of the time as adults we forget the effects bullying can have on a child. Life-long effects that don’t just affect but the community and the family of everyone involved.”
The students also had a presentation and performance by Saskatoon-based rapper and inspirational speaker Unkle Adams. Prince says that it was a choice driven by what kids respond to, and she says it was a kid who suggested that this could get through to children in the area.
“My own son has seen Unkle Adams perform before, and he was the one who suggested we should bring him in. I know it has worked in other communities and he lives a very inspirational life.”
Prince covers a 150 km radius around Yorkton to talk about issues facing students today, including bullying, harassment and self-esteem. She says it is an issue facing every community, and Saskatchewan overall has had a relatively high instance of bullying, something that Shelwin House hopes to change.
“We hope that the education and awareness in our own area will bring us a violence-free community.”
If people need resources, Prince says that they are available, and she hopes people are not afraid to ask questions and take steps to stop violence around them.
“Some people do have to live with violence every day, so it’s great to have these kids and the community know that we hear them.”
