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By Ronald Quaroni

Building Youth

‘Just being part of a team is valuable’: Outlets for bullying

Sep 24, 2019 | 2:00 PM

Attending grade school can be an incredibly stressful time for students as they contend with issues of harassment and bullying.

The Canadian Red Cross is one the major organizations that help provide information and outlets for kids.

The Saskatchewan Manager for Abuse and Violence Prevention, Norm Jakubowski, said kids who are involved in sports, activities and groups can develop skills and self-confidence.

“The kids that are involved have a number of friendship groups, a number of interests, have been participating in activities that develop different skills and self-confidence. We know that these kids have skills to fall back on should bullying or harassment take place,” Jakubowski told paNOW. “Those activities are really vital and reaching out to different groups of people is important so kids can see the benefits of participating.”

He added these activities also provide kids with more positive-adult influences in the form of coaches and mentors.

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Vice Principal at Carlton Comprehensive Bruce Friesen said reaching out to a coach for advice can sometimes be easier for students.

“There’s that level of trust that I can come to you and tell you about a situation I’m uncomfortable with. A lot of that is because they (the student) see the coach as a human not the figurehead,” he said.

From his own experience, playing a variety of sports taught Friesen how to adapt to different situations.

“I really had to learn that my role was what the coach needed it to be and my role was just as important as the next guy and when the time came and my number was called it was time to get out there and do the best that I can with whatever opportunity I had,” Friesen told paNOW.

As a teacher he said he’s witnessed first-hand the benefits a student can get by being around a team environment.

‘What I have seen is the positive peer experience. Maybe they don’t have a lot of positives in their life and just being part of that team is valuable,” Friesen said. “It helps them build that self worth and that level of confidence goes up with kids when they are a part of a team.”

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Ron.quaroni@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @RonaldQuaroni