Get your pink shirts ready, or better yet, purchase a 2022 edition (available at London Drugs) with proceeds being distributed to youth anti-bullying programs throughout western Canada.
Bullying continues to be a major problem in our schools, workplaces, homes and online so please do your part to raise awareness of these issues.
Although this initiative started in Canada, now over 180 countries across the world are organizing anti-bullying fundraisers of their own.
On February 23, 2022 we encourage you all to practice kindness and wear pink to symbolize that you do not tolerate bullying!
David Shepherd, Travis Price and their teenage friends organized a high-school protest to wear pink in sympathy with a Grade 9 boy who was being bullied (for wearing a pink shirt). They took a stand against bullying when they protested against the harassment of a new Grade 9 student by distributing pink T-shirts to all the boys in their school. “I learned that two people can come up with an idea, run with it, and it can do wonders,” says Mr. Price, 17, who organized the pink protest. “Finally, someone stood up for a weaker kid.” So Mr. Shepherd and some others headed off to a discount store and bought 50 pink tank tops. They sent out a message to schoolmates that night, and the next morning they hauled the shirts to school in a plastic bag. As they stood in the foyer handing out the shirts, the bullied boy walked in. His face spoke volumes. “It looked like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders,” Mr. Price recalled. The bullies were never heard from again.
— Globe & Mail
Here at UFV our leaders work very hard to be respectful and model civility; to take responsibility and be accountable. HR regularly offers excellent training on leadership, communication (conflict resolution), teamwork, emotional intelligence and unconscious bias so check out our offerings and register today at https://www.ufv.ca/hr/learning-and-development/workshops/. Please let us know if you’d like to see other topics not listed that may help you navigate through difficult situations at work.
The University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) acknowledges its responsibility in providing all members of the university community with access to information on the Discrimination, Bullying and Harassment Prevention Policy 18 (the Policy) along with the appropriate training to understand the procedures. In support of our commitment to build a positive and inclusive work environment, UFV requires all employees to complete, “Respect in the Workplace” web-based training program. If you have not already completed this training, please do so at your earliest convenience. https://www.ufv.ca/hrcro/respectful-workplace-training/
Empathy Exercise
Empathy is the central component of emotional intelligence and can go a long way in preventing bullying. When we are empathetic, we have better relationships and perform better in our jobs.
I came across this worksheet from PositivePsychology.com and thought it might be an interesting and useful exercise for you to do on your own, or maybe in groups at your next department meeting. Trading-Places-Worksheet
It encourages participants to imagine the perspective of someone with whom they are experiencing difficulty or discomfort and to notice their thoughts and feelings in a quiet and controlled environment. Looking at any situation through multiple perspectives allows insight and empathy. This exercise helps encourage empathy by asking participants to step into the shoes of another to tell their story.
Let’s all work together to “Lift Each Other Up”!