1. School Health
  2. Violence and Bullying
  3. Bullying

Bullying

Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week in Ontario is November 19-25 
Download these resources to support Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week at your school.

Bullying and cyberbullying can affect a student’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being for a lifetime. People of all ages must understand what bullying is, how it can hurt someone, and how it affects others. 

Read on to learn how students, school staff and parents can promote safe schools and a positive learning environment.

What are the four types of Bullying?

  • Physical bullying includes hitting, slapping, tripping, shoving, pinching/poking, chasing, unwanted sexual touching, coercion, and stealing or wrecking belongings.
  • Verbal bullying includes name-calling, spreading rumors, threats, mocking, insults, negative comments based on race, ethnicity, culture, religion, gender, or sexual orientation, and unwanted sexual comments.
  • Social/emotional bullying includes excluding others from groups, scapegoating, shunning, ignoring, and humiliation in front of others or publicly.
  • Electronic/cyberbullying includes using technology (i.e., cellphones, computers, social media, email, etc.) to spread rumors or hurtful comments.         
    (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2018).

Why is Bullying prevention at school important? 

Over 1 in 5 Ontario students (23%) report being bullied at school. That’s nearly 250,000 students in Ontario (OSDUHS 2019). In Windsor-Essex, 20% of students report being bullied by other students in the last month, and this number has grown significantly over the last decade (COMPASS, 2022). 

How do we stop bullying? 

Raising awareness around bullying with students can help promote a welcoming environment where students feel safe and can learn to the best of their ability.

To prevent bullying, it is important to ensure that students have healthy, safe, respectful, and caring relationships with others by:

  • building empathy, 
  • understanding emotions of yourself and others,
  • developing healthy relationships, and
  • supporting the victim and the bully (Hemphill, Tollit & Herrenkohl, 2014)

Below you will find several informational and community resources for educators, parents/caregivers, and students. Educator resources are organized using the Ministry of Education’s Foundations for a Healthy School framework. A healthy school is created when schools, parents and community partners work together to build school environments that promote and support student well-being. 

Resources & Information for:

Resources

  • Bullying Awareness Backgrounder– The WECHU
    An overview of bullying that provides educators with the information they need to prepare for a whole-school campaign on bullying. Also available in French.

  • Newsletter Series for Educators - PREVnet
    These newsletters are designed to provide evidence-based strategies and practices to promote healthy relationships in the classroom and school community.

  • What Educators Need to Know - PREVnet
    This page describes educators’ roles in taking bullying seriously, acting when appropriate, and encouraging healthy relationship skills.

Lessons and Activities

  • Healthy Relationships - OPHEA - Grades 1-12
    Numerous links to support healthy relationships and relationship challenges for educators (access requires a subscription). Available in French. 

  • Bullying and Cyberbullying - RCMP - Grades 4-12
    Lesson plans with engaging activities, prevention programs for Grades K-6, and more. Available in French.

  • Cyberbullying Lesson Plans – Media Smarts.ca - Grades 1-12
    Lesson plans to raise student awareness of cyber bullying as an unacceptable behavior. Activities for all grade levels. Available in French.

  • My Voice is Louder than Hate - Media Smarts.ca - Grades 9-12
    A multimedia lesson resource designed to empower students to push back against hate and prejudice in their online communities; available in French.

  • Safe @ School - OTF & COPA
    Bullying prevention resources for educators. 

Bullying Awareness Videos 

  • Delete Cyberbullying - RCMP: A video for older students and parents
  • Being Safe on the Internet -­ AMAZE: A video that provides tips on sharing personal information, reporting, and setting your privacy settings. 
  • Words Hurt. Don’t be a Part of It - Concerned Children’s Advertisers and PREVNet: A brief public service announcement.
  • What Teens Need to Know - PREVnet: Videos for teens that aim to stop bullying with many featuring popular music. 

School Campaigns and Social Media

  • Student council or student wellness council can participate in identifying school needs and activities to address those needs.

  • Students can make public service announcements/videos as part of their classwork for morning announcements, bulletin boards, and classrooms

  • Students can organize school awareness day events
  • OPHEA- Ideas for Action: (French Version): Can be used alone or with the OPHEA Healthy School Certification process for education about healthy growth and development. This is a starting point to encourage students to have conversations about healthy relationships in your school and community. This guide provides key information about existing programs and resources, tips for getting started, and activity ideas in the following areas: 
  • Social Media Images - The WECHU
    Anti-bullying Images to use on school social media or in newsletters.

Support in the Community

  • BullyingCanada.ca - Bullying Helpline: 
    Providing support, information, and resources (i.e., scholarship program, school/workplace workshops) on bullying. As well as a 24/7/365 support line.

  • Kids Help Phone - supports bullying prevention services 24/7 across Canada for kids, teens, and young adults. 
    There are professional counsellors/volunteer crisis responders and resources (e.g., tips, facts, guides) available to support various topics related to online safety, mental health insights related to bullying, and how to help a friend. Available in French.

Additional Resources

School Campaigns and Social Media

  • Student council or student wellness council can participate in identifying school needs and activities to address those needs.

  • Students can make public service announcements/videos as part of their classwork for morning announcements, bulletin boards, and classrooms

  • Students can organize school awareness day events
  • OPHEA- Ideas for Action: (French Version): Can be used alone or with the OPHEA Healthy School Certification process for education about healthy growth and development. This is a starting point to encourage students to have conversations about healthy relationships in your school and community. This guide provides key information about existing programs and resources, tips for getting started, and activity ideas in the following areas: 
  • Social Media Images - The WECHU
    Anti-bullying Images to use on school social media or in newsletters.

  • BullyingCanada.ca - Bullying Helpline: 
    Providing support, information, and resources (i.e., scholarship program, school/workplace workshops) on bullying. As well as a 24/7/365 support line.

  • Kids Help Phone - supports bullying prevention services 24/7 across Canada for kids, teens, and young adults. 
    There are professional counsellors/volunteer crisis responders and resources (e.g., tips, facts, guides) available to support various topics related to online safety, mental health insights related to bullying, and how to help a friend. Available in French.