The Airdrie Bullying Awareness Program (ABAP) is bringing a number of local organizations and anti-bullying advocates together on Nov. 21 for the inaugural Blue Friday event as a way to let residents know of the resources available, according to ABAP President Bobbi-Jo Mapstone Thomas.
“We can showcase what the ABAP is, we’re kind of that hub,” she said.
“We want to connect all the people in our community who are promoting and working toward anti-bullying. All those organizations will have an opportunity to speak about what they are doing and what bullying looks like.”
Representatives from the Boys and Girls Club of Airdrie, Community Links and the RCMP will speak at the event, along with advocates against youth, senior and workplace bullying.
In August, the City of Airdrie proclaimed Nov. 16 to 22 Bullying Awareness Week in Airdrie.
The event is called Blue Friday because participants are encouraged to wear blue as a symbol of peace and safety, according to the website bullyingawarenessweek.org
Thomas said the ABAP does not offer its own programs, but facilitates connecting clients with an organization that can help them.
“We want people to know about us so if they have a concern, they can come ask us ‘who do I contact?’ We’re going to put them in touch with the Boys and Girls Club, Community Links, the people who are looking after workplace (bullying) prevention and mediation.”
According to Thomas, the ABAP has been receiving a number of messages via their website and emails from people looking for help, prompting the group to start gathering information about available resources in one place.
“Not everyone knows who to contact in what situation,” she said.
“So they stop talking about it or don’t go any further, they just deal with it. What we want to be able to do is say ‘hey, if you don’t know where to go, we can help point you in the right direction.’”
Thomas said the ABAP will also identify gaps in services in the community and work toward filling those gaps.
The Blue Friday event is just one of a number of events ABAP is holding in Airdrie to mark National Bullying Awareness Week.
“We’re going to be distributing wristbands to every school in Airdrie,” Thomas said.
“We have enough wristbands for every single student in Airdrie. They promote Blue Friday and anti-bullying.”
The wristbands will also be distributed to residents at Airdrie’s senior residences.
Other events the ABAP has organized for National Bullying Awareness Week include a Design-a-Flag contest, which closed on Nov. 7, as well as a Design-a-Poster contest that closes on Nov. 14.
The contest winners will be announced at the Blue Friday event.
Other prizes will be handed out to individuals who took pictures of someone wearing one of the wristbands and posted it on Twitter with the hashtag #Airdriebullyingprogram
The group has been in touch with all of Airdrie’s schools, according to Thomas and was able to distribute information about the contests at the schools.
The ABAP is a non-profit group that was established in February 2014.
Thomas said they are working closely with Peer Mediation and Skills Training (PMAST) out of Calgary, and receive some funding from PMAST.
“We are accepting donations. We are going after grants to help us. PMAST is helping us get started,” Thomas said.
The managing director of PMAST, Winston Blake, will also be speaking at the Nov. 21 event on the topic of conflict resolution.
The Blue Friday event runs from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Davis Chev on East Lake Crescent. Thomas said the free event is for all ages and will include face painting and refreshments.
For more information about the ABAP, visit their website at airdriebullyingawarenessprogram.ca
