Bullying

Help Create a Bully-Free Alberta! 

Thousands of children live in fear of bullying. They suffer from humiliation, poor grades and crushed spirits. The provincial Prevention of Bullying Strategy is targeted at preventing and stopping bullying, as well as promoting positive behaviours and attitudes within and between individuals, families and groups. The Strategy is a partnership of government departments and community stakeholders working together in supporting children and youth in reaching their potential. It includes public awareness and education initiatives that have included development of websites for children, youth and adults. The strategy’s goals are to raise awareness of what bullying is, identify what people can do to stop it, and encourage a change in societal attitudes towards bullying.

Helpline

Call the Bullying Prevention Helpline. It’s available toll-free 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1‑888‑456‑2323. Help is provided in more than 170 languages.

National Bullying Awareness Week

National Bullying Awareness Week is recognized during the third week in November each year. The Alberta government has developed resources and information tools, including a series of posters, fact sheets, information cards, as well as comic books based on the S-Team Heroes, to assist school and community members with bullying awareness activities.

Tools and Resources

• Components of an Effective Bullying Prevention Approach: A fact sheet that outlines 12 key elements to providing an effective bullying prevention approach in schools and communities, along with helpful tips on how to identify a positive approach.
• Relational Aggression: A fact sheet to help Albertans recognize and deal with social exclusion, gossip and other indirect forms of bullying behaviour.
• Respecting Aboriginal Peoples: A fact sheet to help Albertans recognize the cultural differences around bullying within and from external to the Aboriginal community.
• Respecting Cultural Diversity: A fact sheet to help Albertans learn about the relation between cultural diversity and bullying.
• Stand Up and Stop Bullying wristbands – glow in the dark wristbands that signify bullying awareness and promote the Bullying Helpline and website. Contact your Regional Family Violence and Bullying Coordinator. 
• Bullying Public Service Announcements and Fact Sheets DVD: A collection of our most popular bullying prevention resources packaged as a two-disc DVD set. 
• Web banner ad: Highlight “Stand Up and Stop Bullying” message on your website.
   
  
   
• Visit the “home of National Bullying Awareness Week” started in 2003, by Cochrane, Alberta educator Bill Belsey. This website hosts information and resources to help people, at the grassroots level in communities around the world, get involved in this issue. Communities working together on preventing bullying through education and awareness. 
• Additional resources:
  • Alberta Education
  • comics, fact sheets and posters
• French resources 
• Ordering Materials and Resources: Learn how to order resources free of charge.

Websites

For children

Play an interactive, online game. Heroes Dakota, Tina, Kiara, Michael and Eric are a team of bully-proofing champions designed to help kids three to 11 make positive, empowering choices when confronted by a bully. The heroes are experts at teaching kids how to protect themselves and others from bullying.

For youth

B-free.ca is a website developed by youth for youth with strategies and information on bullying.

For adults

Bully Free Alberta was created to help adults learn positive strategies on bullying prevention and intervention in children and youth.