Parents, teachers and those who work with children and youth must protect children from all forms of abuse, including bullying. Canada has many local, provincial and national programs aimed at reducing bullying. Unfortunately, few are based on evidence and even fewer are scientifically evaluated to measure their effectiveness. Many strategies to prevent bullying are already known and proven effective, thanks in large part to Canadian research. What was needed was a national network where expert researchers and national organizations work together to translate this research into practice.

Among the results

PREVNet leverages partnerships in Quebec and Ontario to successfully mobilize its Bullying Prevention toolkit. For example, PREVNet joined Quebec’s Les Grandes Rencontres, a three-year province-wide educators’ training program which has trained more than 2,000 professionals in the education sector in its first two years. In Ontario, PREVNet delivered training sessions to over 20 Ontario school boards.
The Healthy Relationships Training Module (HRTM), co-created with the Canadian Red Cross, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada, and Scouts Canada, has improved professional practices in approximately 100 organizations that train more than 35,000 adults and reach more than 1 million children and youth. Key messages from the HRTM are now also part of international training programs with Big Brothers Big Sisters in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and Russia.
Since 2003, PREVNet has contributed to Family Channel’s annual Stand UP! Bullying Awareness Week, empowering millions of children to stand up against bullying and increase children’s awareness that when peers intervene, bullying stops within 10 seconds, 57% of the time. The campaign consists of a week of programming dedicated to bullying prevention and a cross-Canada rally tour.
PREVNet, in partnership with Primus, launched Parenting in a Digital Age: Understanding Kids and Technology, a website created for parents to use as an online resource about kids and technology with a focus on understanding cyberbullying. The website provides tools and information on how to support young children, tweens and teenagers as they become more independent online.

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