Bully Prevention Program

Bullying is not just a school issue. Bullying is a societal issue that is impacting individuals in all areas of school, community, work and home life. We all have a role to play in making sure our world is more accepting and kind, and teachers are often the first line of defense. Knowing what to look for and how to take a no-nonsense approach to bullying is critical in ensuring all children feel safe, welcome and included in their classroom and school community.

Dare to Care was the first fully comprehensive program launched in Canada in 1999 to tackle these issues and assist schools and communities to create a climate of respect. Early identification and intervention is critical as bullying does not just go away…little bullies grow up to be big bullies in our communities and workplace.

Dare to Care provides a comprehensive approach to dealing with bullying and mental health within school communities throughout Alberta and across Canada. Through age-appropriate workshops for children and youth; support and education for parents; and extensive professional development for teachers, support staff and administration, Dare to Care is helping schools and communities create caring environments where everyone feels safe, happy, and included.

Who?

Students currently taking their EDUC 400 or 500 courses

What?

Pre-service teachers will attend, support, and lead different aspects of Dare to Care's workshops

When?

Teacher PD sessions: during school hours

Parent session: outside of school hours

Where?

Various schools in and around Calgary

Additional Information

School-based group program
Age of Children/Youth: 5-17 Years Old
Pre-service teachers will attend, support, and lead different aspects of Dare to Care's workshops to gain a better understanding of bullying prevention strategies in a range of contexts. This will strengthen their ability to work with different stakeholders and see how to use different language for different students and age groups.
Participants will attend a school Professional Development session as well as a parent session led by Dare to Care staff.

Participants will attend and actively support at least one Dare to Care workshop designed for children in Kindergarten-Grade 6. These workshops begin with an assembly for students in Kindergarten-Grade 2, followed by an Assembly for students in Grades 3-6. After the second assembly, participants and Dare to Care staff will lead smaller workshops with Grade 3-6 classes, leading activities that provide students with bullying prevention strategies.

Participants will attend and actively support at least one "Take the Time" session. Take the Time is Dare to Care's full-day assembly/workshop series for students in Grades 5-12, where adults model positive behaviour and work with youth on key bullying prevention strategies. Participating pre-service teachers will support the day's activities and lead their "family unit," a group of ~5 students, through the day's activities.
Dare to Care also provides programming for Sports teams and Community organizations. Participants, particularly pre-service teachers with a background in physical education, may also support these evening/weekend schedules if their schedule permits.

Requirements

Pre-service teachers need a current Police Information Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening (issued after July 1, 2021). Students who do not already have a police check should begin this process at their local police station as soon as possible, as police checks often take 4-6 weeks to process.

Examine a variety of approaches to teaching and learning in non-traditional educational settings
Examine how teaching and learning take place in other contexts
Gain experience working with youth in a small group setting
Gain experience working with youth in an individual setting
Model positive behaviour for children, youth, teachers, and parents

Werklund Dates and Times

FALL 2023 (Application is now closed.)

Werklund Fall 2023 Wrap-Up Session: Friday, December 8, 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm (Zoom)
Fall 2023 Placements End: mid-December

WINTER 2024

Winter 2024 application will open on November 20, 2024.
Werklund Winter 2024 Orientation: Monday, December 11, 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm (Zoom)
Winter 2024 Placements Start: early January (program dependent)
Werklund Winter 2024 Check-In Session: Monday, January 29 at
- 9:30 am - 10:30 am (in-person) or
- 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm (Zoom)
Werklund Winter 2024 Wrap-Up Session: Tuesday, March 12, 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm (Zoom)
Winter 2024 Placements End: mid-March (program dependent)

Dare to Care Dates

Dare to Care workshops and teacher PD session: To be scheduled; during school hours
Dare to Care parent session: To be scheduled; outside of school hours
Workshops for K-6 students are half-day workshops; Take the Time (Grades 5-12) are full-day workshops
Workshops for Sports/Community groups take place in the evening or on weekends (Specific Dates TBD)
Specific dates and times will be set based on student/program schedules. Please note that since Dare to Care's partner schools select which dates the workshops occur on, Dare to Care sometimes knows these dates well in advance, but sometimes we do not know these details until quite close to the workshop dates. Pre-service teachers interested in Dare to Care should be flexible with their schedules to support a better experience for you and the students you'll be working with.

In total, pre-service teachers agree to commit to a minimum of 20-25 hours for their service-learning experience

Pre-service teachers will participate in 2 group meetings: one at the mid-point and another at the end of their placement (1 hour each). These group meetings provide pre-service teachers with opportunities to reflect on the community placement experience and to guide improvements for the program.