The Prevention of Bullying

Building an Alberta research agenda

WELCOME

Provincial Prevention of Bullying Strategy

Background

• October 2004 – Alberta Government released Finding Solutions Together which outlines key areas of action arising from the Alberta Roundtable on Family Violence and Bullying.

• Key recommendation – development of a cross-ministry education and awareness bullying prevention strategy targeted at individuals, families and communities.

Provincial Prevention of Bullying Strategy•Cross-ministry partners and stakeholders have taken the

lead in the implementation of Alberta’s Bullying Prevention

Strategy.

•The goal of the strategy is:

to raise awareness of what bullying is, to identify what

we can do to stop that behaviour in ourselves and

others, and to encourage a change in societal attitudes

towards bullying.

Stakeholder Group

• Interdepartmental Committee on Family Violence and Bullying (ICFVB)

• Regional family violence and bullying coordinators

• Community bullying and family violence organizations

• Family Violence Public Awareness and Education Working Group

• Aboriginal Advisory Committee

Working Collaboratively

Prevention of Bullying Youth Committee

Researchers• Bullying Research Experts• Alberta Centre for Child,

Family and Community Research (ACCFCR)

• Canadian Initiative for the Prevention of Bullying

• University of Alberta; University of Calgary

• The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities

ACYI Prevention of Bullying Working Group

Children’s Services – co-chair Education – co-chair Solicitor General and Public Security Aboriginal Affairs and Northern

Development Alberta Mental Health Board Community Development The Society for Safe and Caring Schools

and Communities

= key contributor

= working group

Key Areas of Action• Social Change

Increase awareness and understanding of the impact of bullying and support strategies that prevent bullying in communities across the province.

• Provincial Leadership Provide provincial and national leadership in establishing necessary

mechanisms and engaging communities, including Aboriginal communities, and key partners in preventing bullying.

• Collaborative, Coordinated, Community Response Support and facilitate community plans and actions and sharing information

about community bullying initiatives and those impacted by bullying.

• Services and Supports Assist communities in providing timely services and supports to individuals

impacted by bullying, including victims, bullies and bystanders.

• Accountability Establish partnerships to support best practice evidence, research and

evaluation to inform current and future planning.

Social ChangePublic Awareness and Education Initiatives

• 3-year public awareness and education campaign launched in June 2005. Phase one (2005-2006) is focused on educating children

and youth in prevention and safe methods of intervention. Phase two, to be undertaken in 2006-2007, is directed

towards adults and their role in preventing and discouraging bullying behaviour among children and modeling positive behaviour.

Phase three, to be implemented in 2007-2008, is aimed at discouraging bullying behaviour among the bullies themselves and teaching acceptance of diversity among all children and youth.

Web Visits

www.teamheroes.ca – close to one million “visits” www.teamheroes.ca – close to one million “visits”

www.bullyfreealberta.ca – over 80,000 “visits”www.bullyfreealberta.ca – over 80,000 “visits”

Provincial LeadershipYouth Leadership Initiative

• Provincial prevention of bullying youth committee established February 2005.

• Committee provides advice and leadership on development and implementation of the Strategy.

• Development of youth training initiative underway to mobilize youth both at provincial and community levels in addressing bullying.

Collaborative, Coordinated, Community ResponseCommunity Incentive Fund Program

• Prevention of Family Violence and Bullying Community Incentive Fund (CIF) developed to support local action on family violence and bullying.

• 53 of the 130 approved in year one of Community Incentive Fund grants related to bullying.

• Regional Family Violence and Bullying Coordinators across the province to facilitate regional implementation of key family violence and bullying initiatives.

Services and Supports

• Implemented “Taking Action on Bullying” Parent Link Centre pilot sites to provide parents and school staff resources and skills necessary to identify signs of bullying and work with children in addressing bullying.

• Exploring options to provide information referral and supports for individuals through websites and targeted help lines.

AccountabilityResearch and Best Practices

• Initial bullying literature review undertaken in 2005 to help inform development of the bullying strategy.

• Partnerships established with research experts.

• Ongoing need to integrate research and best practices in bullying prevention and intervention in policy development and community initiatives.

• Evaluation framework developed for strategy.