Bullying awareness signOn November 22, 2017, Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) staff from the MNO offices in North Bay and Mattawa visited FJ McElligott Intermediate-Secondary School in Mattawa to provide bullying awareness programming to over 160 students.
Intermediate students participated in a Faceless Dolls Workshop, while the secondary students helped create a Bullying Blanket. Students were thoroughly engaged throughout the day in creating their own Faceless Dolls, contributing to discussions around violence against women and bullying and creating personalized squares for the bullying quilt. Students agreed that bullying is an issue at their school and began the day unsure of how to address it.
Although these activities triggered some unpleasant memories for some students, there were many thoughtful conversations throughout the day around how students, as peers, can stand up and put an end to bullying.
Learning from what these students go through, the organizers for bullying awareness quickly realized as adults it is vitally important to educate youth about bullying and help students develop strategies on how each individual can do their part to put an end to it.
In the end, it is the youth who need to follow through and set examples for the next generation on how to treat each other.
Posted: January 10, 2017