Ending bullying starts with kids talking to each other, says Carol Todd, which is why the anti-bullying advocate is supporting the planned expansion of the Red Cross' Beyond the Hurt Program into schools across Canada.
On Monday Canadian Heritage minister and local MP James Moore announced funding to encourage more young people to take the program that promotes greater understanding and awareness of the dynamics of bullying.
Todd said she applauds efforts to use social media, forums, and peer facilitator training to get young people talking about the issue and learning how to prevent it.
"It's a really good initiative. We know our district is doing it and it has really shown good results," Todd said.
Moore said $250,000 in funding from the Youth Take Charge program will be used to train 2,400 facilitators, aged 13 to 17, to deliver prevention workshops and other activities to other youth.
There will also be three youth-led forums, including one in B.C., to encourage youth to take action against bullying and discrimination in their communities, and a web portal set up so youth can share their stories.
"The kids love it," said Todd of the Beyond the Hurt program, which has already been implemented in School District 43 schools. "My thing is that kids get tired of listening to adults. When it comes to peers talking to peers and young kids looking up to older kids, it makes an impact and it makes a difference," she said, noting that it makes sense to expand a program that has already been shown to work.
She also congratulated the federal government for taking an initiative, after she and other parents who lost children to bullying and suicide, met with Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
"It may not solve the whole problem [but] it's all about prevention and making kids more aware," Todd said. She is now waiting to hear from the provincial government about whether the ERASE Bullying is having the desired effect.
She said she hasn't heard much about the provincial program, which enables students to make anonymous bullying complaints on line, and whether it is accomplishing its goals.
"Is it working? What will [Premier] Christy Clark do?" Todd asked.
In May, the Tri-City News reported that 15 complaints had been made to SD43 via the ERASE website, but only 10 were found to be bullying, and the program is currently under review.
