ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST BULLYING & HARASSMENT
How Was Your Day? We are excited to release our new public service campaign How Was Your Day?, which targets parents of children aged 6-12 and is designed to encourage parents to talk to their children about bullying and cyber-bullying. Visit the Gallery.
Enhance the community's ability to prevent and respond to bullying and harassment in a comprehensive manner.
Background
Since June 2003, The Action Committee Against Bullying & Harassment has worked to increase public awareness about the impact of bullying. They have strengthened the cross-sectoral response to bullying, supported the development of best practices, produced the Continuum of Services, submitted a brief to the Alberta Roundtable on Family Violence and Bullying, created opportunities for professional development training, and has hired a coordinator to provide support to their initiatives.
In Fall 2003, stakeholders from both Calgary school boards, the City of Calgary, Calgary Police Services, and numerous community agencies met to consider the effectiveness of a potential bullying bylaw. The group unanimously agreed that a bylaw was not necessary, punishing youth without working to correct bullying behaviours could potentially be more damaging. Working collaboratively towards a comprehensive model on preventing bullying was deemed more constructive. This view was affirmed by Calgary City Council and as a result, Calgary does not have a bullying bylaw.
Studies show that punitive responses to incidences of bullying, such as bylaws, inflexible zero tolerance policies, security systems, and suspension/expulsion of students do not solve the underlying problems related to bullying. To be effective, interventions must address multiple risk factors, start early in life and be targeted at individuals, family, school and community. A comprehensive response to bullying should have the following essential components 1) Instructional Programs, 2) School Climate Programs, and 3) Comprehensive Social Supports
Guiding Principles
All actions and decisions will be measured against the following guiding principles:
- The complex nature of bullying and harassment demands comprehensive approaches.
- Multiple, rather than single isolated factors, place children at great risk of becoming victims or perpetrators of violence.
- Bullying and harassment is a community issue and as such is best managed by school personnel, parents, police, business leaders, elected officials and young people themselves working collaboratively to address it.
- Prevention needs to start early in life and be targeted at individuals, family, school and community to be effective.
- To be effective, interventions must address multiple risk factors and continue across the life span in a variety of settings.
Community Partners
Calgary Board of Education
Calgary Catholic School District Community of Caring
Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse
Calgary Counselling Centre
Calgary Family Services
Calgary Health Region
Calgary Humane Society
Calgary Police Service
Calgary Women's Emergency Shelter Non Abusive Futures
Canadian Red Cross RespectEd
City of Calgary
Developmental Disabilities Resource Centre
Families Matter
Family Resource Facilitation Program- BRAVE Project YMCA
Hull Child & Family Services
John Howard Society
Roots of Empathy
University of Calgary
Violence Information & Education Centre (VIEC)
Wood's Homes
YWCA Sheriff King Home
Committee Structure
Meeting Dates
September 13, 2006
October 11, 2006
November 8, 2006
December 13, 2006
January 10, 2007
February 14, 2007
March 14, 2007
April 11, 2007
May 9, 2007
June 13, 2007
Events/Newsletters
If you would like more information on this committee, or would like to know how to get involved please contact the Community Development Coordinator (Child & Youth Portfolio) at nyoule@acav.org or 283-3013 ext 226
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