Be the Change
About 1/3 of Alberta households surveyed said that bullying has affected their family (Ipsos Reid, 2006). Students at Wabamun School are taking a stand. This fall, 10 middle years students were nominated by their peers and teachers to be leaders in the Beyond the Hurt program.
These teens are learning about bullying and effective strategies to minimize or prevent these behaviours, and will be sharing this knowledge with their peers, younger students, parents, staff, and community members by delivering workshops throughout the year.
 In early November they attended the two-day Beyond the Hurt Youth Peer Facilitator Training. Through fun and engaging activities, these young leaders explored themes like harassment, bullying, and the use of power, and they learned effective bullying intervention and prevention strategies. The teens participated in activities such as Flower Power and Poker Face, which demonstrated that we all have sources of power, and that it’s important to ensure that our power is used in a responsible and positive way to help create a school and community that is free from bullying.
The training workshop also focused on developing effective communication and public speaking skills, including incorporating different learning styles into presentations. A core group of adults - two teachers from Wabamun School, a parent, a community Peace Officer, and a village representative - have offered their continued support to the student leaders as they develop their skills and prepare and deliver their workshops.
The Beyond the Hurt Program has benefited from the generous support of the community. The Alberta Health and Wellness Fund provided funds, the Village of Wabamun donated the Jubilee Hall for the two days. Wabamun School Parent Council and Home and School provided participants with snacks and lunch. The Village of Wabamun, Loonie Fortune, the Lions Bowling Alley, Yellow Submarine and Wabamun School all contributed to a gift bag for each of the student participants.
On November 6, 2010, the training concluded with a special graduation ceremony for the newly certified Bullying Prevention Educators. The ten young Beyond the Hurt leaders are now actively engaged in spreading the message that we all have a role to play in bullying prevention. That we can make a difference, and be the change!
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