NBCC Student And Anti-Bullying Advocate Is Leading A Campaign To Make Dec. 17 A Special Day Of Awareness
b>NBCC student and anti-bullying advocate is leading a campaign to make Dec. 17 a special day of awareness
A1
Jim Dumville
The Bugle-Observer
Each year on Dec. 17, people across Canada will wear blue to signify their support for anti-bullying initiatives and to demonstrate awareness of the ongoing bullying problem.
That's the vision for "Blue Day" – a concept created by two teenagers, including an NBCC Woodstock journalism student – of a national day of awareness about the impact of bullying on society.
NBCC student Robert Frenette – who with the help of Listowel, Ont., student Katie Neu, launched an anti-bullying Web site in 2006 – understands firsthand the pain associated with bullying. Over an 11-year period, while attending school in Bathurst, Frenette was a target for bullies.
Unable to take it anymore, Frenette decided to take action. With the help of Neu and other students, he founded BullyingKidsSpeakUp.ca, which went online on Dec. 17, 2006. In May of 2007 the domain name changed to BullyingCanada.ca.
Since its launch, Frenette said, the site gets upwards of 200 hits a day from people looking for resources, tips or just someone to listen to.
Now, Frenette, from his new home in Woodstock, is spearheading a national campaign to launch Blue Day. He said he's getting strong initial support on several levels, including from school districts, municipalities, the province and federal MPs.
He said 10 different school boards across the country have already indicated support and School District 14, which covers the Upper St. John River Valley, "is seriously looking at it."
"Lisa Gallagher (School District 14 superintendent) has been very supportive," Frenette said.
At a recent council meeting, Woodstock Mayor Art Slipp and members of council officially declared their support for Blue Day and the circulation of a petition for delivery to the Canadian House of Commons.
Frenette said Acadie-Bathurst MP Yvon Godin has already agreed to submit the petition to Parliament.
On a provincial level, Frenette added, both Education Minister Kelly Lamrock and Public Safety Minister John Foran have expressed interest in the idea of a Blue Day.
"I am pleased to tell you that we would appreciate having a copy of the petition in our offices," Minister Lamrock wrote in response to a letter from Frenette. "We certainly feel that bullying is an important issue concerning students and our communities, and we support the anti-bullying cause."
Frenette said education department officials have been receptive to the idea of addressing the bullying issue. However, he acknowledged, budgetary demands weigh heavy on all government departments.
"The Department of Education is taking it on with the resources they have available," he said.
On Nov. 17, one month before the planned Blue Day, NBCC Woodstock and Frenette will host a media information session to explain the concept.
Frenette said prominent officials, including Gallagher and newly elected Opposition Leader David Alward, plan to speak at the event.
Frenette stressed neither the Web site, nor Blue Day, is meant to target bullies. It is meant to reach out to everyone feeling the impact of bullying.
"It is designed for the recognition of bullies, victims and bystanders," explained Frenette. "Bullies need as much support as victims."
The key point is to raise awareness, said Frenette.
"It's not a blame game."
While the anti-bullying movement has made some headway in recent years, Frenette acknowledged the problems of bullying still exists and always will to some degree. With the explosion of online social sites, he added, cyber bullying has become a major problem.
He said getting the anti-bullying Web site up and running and drawing public attention to the issue has taken time, but it has been worth the effort.
"It's been a long road, it's been a lot of work," Frenette said. "We're not going to get rid of it, but we can curb it."
