From kindergarten to high school (and beyond!), healthy peer relationships are essential to one’s wellbeing.
All young people – even those who are already developing and maintaining healthy peer relationships – can benefit from the guidance of trusted adults in their lives on topics like cyberbullying, harassment, and treating others with respect. With continued exposure to and practice with healthy relationships topics, young people are better able to translate their knowledge and skills to everyday situations.
Below, we’ve included some resources that may be helpful for parents, teachers, and school administrators who are interested in learning more about preventing bullying and promoting healthier peer relationships. These tools were all developed by PREVNet researchers and/or PREVNet partner organizations, experts in children’s social and emotional wellbeing.
For parents
- For parents of young children, reading a book together can be a fun and simple way to start a conversation about treating others with kindness, accepting our differences, and standing up for peers. The WITS Program has lists of books that address the topic of bullying from multiple perspectives. Borrow one of these books from your local library, or add it to your bookshelf, and spend some time connecting over an enjoyable story and important message.
- It’s never too early to start talking to your child about being safe and respectful online, just like you would teach them those lessons about the offline world. With Primus, we’ve put together information about cyberbullying as well as prompts to help parents start conversations with their children on this topic.
For teachers and school administrators
- A number of studies have shown that social and emotional learning (SEL) in the classroom can positively impact students’ wellbeing. The University of British Columbia’s SEL Resource Finder is a one-stop shop that includes information, activities, and assessment tools for fostering healthy relationships and important life skills.
- Our 2015 report with MediaSmarts and Telus showed that young people are willing to step in and do something when they witness cyberbullying. Harnessing the power of peers can be one important way to curb the impact of online harassment. In response, MediaSmarts put together a lesson plan for Grade 7-9 teachers to help students identify ways they can effectively and safely intervene in cyberbullying.
- Our own resource, Bullying Prevention: Factsheets and Tools for Schools, was designed to support educators’ bullying prevention efforts throughout the school year. It includes tools for assessing the current situation, preventing issues from arising, and intervening when issues do occur. This comprehensive resource targets bullying from multiple angels, including developing appropriate school policies, coaching students who have bullied others, and supporting students who have been targeted.
For more healthy relationships factsheets and tools, check out our Resources page. Wishing everyone a fun, engaging, and successful school year!