With Pink Day coming up Feb. 28, Synergy’s YELL (Youth Encouraging Lasting Leadership) group is hard at work with its Pretty in Pink campaign, selling buttons to spread an anti-bullying message – and to raise money that will support both YELL and an Alberta-based anti-bullying organization.
“The whole point is really to put a new spin on the idea of anti-bullying, because I think the same message is typically repeated over and over again,” said Melissa Cavaliere, communications and connections co-ordinator with Synergy. “It’s really about starting the conversation and raising awareness.”
The buttons are sold in various locations throughout Chestermere and Langdon and can be worn instead of or in addition to a pink shirt on Pink Day – historically known as Pink Shirt Day, a nationally-recognized day to promote kindness and take a stand against bullying. According to Cavaliere, YELL participants will be very active this Feb. 28.
“They’ll be spending the day going to various schools throughout the community, hosting anti-bullying assemblies,” she said. “They share personal stories, do interactive activities, and try to bring a personal level to it so they can show kids that it does get better, and that they are there if any youth want to talk to them.”
This is YELL’s fourth year hosting the Pretty in Pink campaign, and Cavaliere said the initiative’s success can primarily be attributed to the contributions made by the youth. Since the campaign was founded, organized, and run by young people within the community, it’s easy for other kids to understand and connect with.
“It’s an issue that I know many YELL members hold close to their hearts, because some of them have even dealt with bullying themselves,” Cavaliere said. “They really want to do something about it, not just talk about it. It’s their goal to get everyone involved and put a plan into action.”
Selling buttons to promote the anti-bullying message gives YELL the chance to take its impact outside of the schools and into the rest of the community, Cavaliere said. This is especially important this year, when Alberta Red Cross has chosen to focus Pink Day on the prevalence of cyber-bullying.
“A large majority of people are experiencing (bullying)....” Cavaliere said. “It’s a lot bigger than we think it is, and I think there’s that extra level of danger there because of the idea of anonymity – people are hiding behind a screen. But bullying and cyber-bullying affect a lot of people, both directly and indirectly.”
According to Cavaliere, bullying can have a profound impact on an individual’s life, no matter their age. Bullying can have a negative effect on a victim’s mental health and even affect their performance at school or at work.
“Pretty in Pink is our way of trying to put an end to this entire thing by taking a community approach,” Cavaliere said.
“That’s why we’ve decided to choose Dare to Care as our charity this year.”
Each February, YELL donates half of the proceeds from its button sales to a charity that works to combat bullying, Cavaliere said. This year, the group selected Dare to Care, an organization that started in Calgary and now operates nation-wide with a mandate to provide anti-bullying education to not only students, but also teachers, school staff and parents.
“They offer a lot of support and information, including professional development opportunities, to help the whole community take a stand against bullying,” Cavaliere said. “It’s really well aligned with the values of Pretty in Pink, so we’re very excited to support them this year.”
Visit yoursynergy.ca/pretty-in-pink-2018 for more information.
