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VOICE webpage launched during Anti-Bullying Week

Article Origin

Author

By Ellen Bradford Sweetgrass Writer CALGARY

Volume

19

Issue

1

Year

2011

November 14-18 was Anti-Bullying Week and local advocate Kelly Girling seized the opportunity to launch VOICE: a Facebook webpage designed to strike back at what has become all too commonplace.

“There are a lot of victims of bullying that really don’t feel like they have an opportunity or a chance to be heard,” said Girling.

Girling believes that by junior high, every child is affected, whether as a victim, bystander or a perpetrator. Bullying is a global issue, and everyone needs to become involved, he said, including parents, teachers, victimized children, perpetrators and bystanders.

Over the last 11 years, Girling has received over 6,000 e-mails from victims of bullying, recounting in-depth stories of their experiences. “And these are really heartfelt stories, and as I read them, a lot of these kids they just want to be heard. They just want somebody to listen to what they’re going through.”

Kids can post an online message, sharing their experiences and offering feedback. Those who wish to post but do not feel comfortable identifying themselves, may send the message directly to VOICE, where it is posted as an anonymous user.

“I still look like I’m 18 years old,” said Girling, who has travelled across the prairies delivering his anti-bullying multimedia presentations in high schools. “You know, I’ve been doing this for quite a while. But they drop their guard down as soon as I get up in front of them and speak. I tell them an in-depth story of what I went through and they can connect with that.”

Sixty per cent of his work comes from Aboriginal communities, Girling said, his Métis heritage having played a key role in his own experiences.

For years, he never revealed his background due to earlier harassment in school.

“Because in Saskatoon where I grew up, Métis or Native Indians, whatever you want to call them, they weren’t looked at as an equal to society. They were looked down upon,” said Girling.

After his presentations, Girling said at least one-third of students approach him with either positive feedback or detailed stories of their own experiences. Because of the Internet’s accessibility, a webpage seemed the logical next step.

VOICE also offers full anti-bullying resources for parents and teachers.

“I want parents to be able to have that satisfying feeling that when they wake up each day, they’re going to not have that worry that their kids are being verbally or physically attacked at school, on the streets, or even on the bus ride home.”

Girling believes much bullying stems from grief and misery in home life. Positive parental role models, and even a parent sharing a personal story of being bullied in the past, can help connect with victims.

“I’ve read studies that show that the average adult or parent spends no more than 15 minutes per kid. Obviously we need to increase that,” said Girling.

Find VOICE at: www.facebook.com/voiceup