June 7, 2005

S-Team Heroes empower kids to stop bullying

Edmonton - A new team of bully-proofing champions leapt into action to help kids in Alberta protect themselves and others from bullying. Dakota, Tina, Kiara, Michael and Eric - the S-Team Heroes - are part of a new Alberta government initiative that helps children make positive, empowering choices when confronted by a bully.

The S-Team Heroes help kids build their own personal esteem and encourages them to find their "hero" within. The focal point of the program is an interactive online game that can be found on the S-Team Heroes website at www.teamheroes.ca.

"Bullying can leave scars that last a lifetime," says Children's Services Minister Heather Forsyth. "We need to make sure that our children know exactly what to do if they are ever a victim of bullying. By playing the S-Team Heroes game, kids will learn to make the right choices."

In addition to the online game, the Alberta government has developed a series of posters, fact sheets, and a comic book based on the game for communities with limited Internet access. This week, more than 6,000 key community partners - including schools, libraries, ParentLink Centres and sports associations - will receive a "starter kit" that they can use to help put a stop to bullying in their community.

"The support of our partners is critical to the success of this initiative, and towards making our communities safer places to be," said Education Minister Gene Zwozdesky. "Children who feel safe in their community or classroom will do better in school, and have a healthier perspective on life."

A new online resource, www.bullyfreealberta.ca, has also been developed for parents and teens to learn what they can do to help prevent and intervene in a bullying situation.

The bullying prevention initiative is a result of commitments made during the Alberta Roundtable on Family Violence and Bullying in May 2004, and is a key priority under the Alberta Children and Youth Initiative (ACYI). The ACYI is a collaborative partnership of government ministries working together to ensure children and youth are supported in reaching their potential. The cost of the S-Team Heroes campaign is approximately $900,000.

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Backgrounder

Information on bullying prevention

Facts:
Bullying happens every seven minutes on the playground and 25 minutes in the classroom.
Craig and Pepler, 1997

A 2004 study published in the Medical Journal of Paediatrics found that about one in seven Canadian children aged 11 to 16 are victims of bullying.

Information for Kids:
• Look the bully straight in the eye and say, "Stop." If the bully still teases you, walk away immediately. A person who bullies wants to see you scared. If you do not react then the bully may get bored and stop.

• Physically fighting back is not a useful choice because you could get hurt or you could get blamed for starting the trouble. Using violence to stop violence is wrong and it makes a bad situation worse or more dangerous.

• Tell your parents and someone at school you trust, like a teacher or your principal. If the first adult you tell doesn't help, don't give up - tell other adults until you get the help you need. Bullying is wrong and you don't have to put up with it. When adults know about it, they can help you stop the bullying.

• Many bullies rely on your silence to be able to repeat their bullying without consequences. Don't be embarrassed to ask for help. It takes real courage to speak out. Your strength in reporting bullying will help others too because bullying behaviour is rarely limited to one person.

Information for Parents:
• Teach your child actions to take to keep them safe and practice ways to tell the bully to stop without escalating the aggression.

• Contact the school to make sure the situation will be monitored over time. Ask for advice about contacting the parents of the child who is bullying and the parents of other victims. Work with the school to make sure there is a plan to deal with bullying. Check with your child to see if it is working.

• Children who bully tend to pick on children who are isolated. Tell your child to play it smart by being part of a group in circumstances where bullying could happen.

• Encourage your child to talk with you about their feelings and ideas. You will need to reassure them they did the right thing in having the courage to tell you and other adults about the bullying. Staying silent because of the fear of retaliation is a recipe for disaster as it allows the bullying to continue without consequence. Telling does not make the situation worse; silence does. Let your child know the bullying is not their fault and that nothing they did caused it. We need to ensure our children know they do not need to live in fear and that taking a stand by telling others is the first step to eliminating bullying behaviour.

(Authored and distributed by the Government of Alberta)