THUNDER BAY – Stopping bulling is a worthy goal. Bullying needs solutions not just awareness. What if the things so many people believe about how to solve the bullying issue were not working? Susan Buchanan works towards community based solutions designed to empower youth and families to reduce the incidents of bullying.
Some of the projects designed to eliminate bullying include awareness programs. Some schools in Canada spend upwards of $15,000 to purchase Pink Shirts to raise awareness on the issue of bullying. For the young person being bullied, perhaps seeing everyone in the school wearing a pink shirt isn’t solving anything.
Bullies are created not born
Susan shares that one of the keys is understanding how people learn. She advocates a more ground up process, and her program takes time to implement and work.
“Bullies are created, not born”, Susan says. Often the bully has a lack of social skills, and are seeking to take power away from others in order to make themselves feel better. It really doesn’t work, the bully needs to be helped too.
Susan Buchanan has been working across Canada in many communities including several communities across Northwestern Ontario. Her ideas make more sense than many of the continuing awareness program efforts.
How to Raise a Bully Free Family
Susan offers interactive workshops where family members and caregivers will learn more about the required ingredients for creating an atmosphere of zero tolerance towards bullying behaviors in homes, families and communities.
