• Major anti-bullying campaign raises awareness throughout October
• Five events planned to energise, incentivise, empower

GRAND CAYMAN (GIS) – Raising awareness about the pernicious effects of childhood bullying and encouraging grassroots strategies to eliminate it will be highlighted during the Department of Counselling’s Services Stood Up Campaign in October.

Under the 2018 theme: “See Something Do Something,” the second annual anti-bullying initiative has increased its schedule of events to strengthen its impact.

“This year’s campaign aligns well with the Government’s broad strategic outcome number six, which calls for stronger communities and support for the most vulnerable,” said the Minister for Health, Environment, Culture and Housing,  Hon. Dwayne Seymour. “Intimidation, regardless of what form it takes or how young the perpetrators are, is unacceptable in the Cayman Islands. The Stood Up campaign intends to energise, incentivise and empower students to find ways to prevent bullying in all its forms.”

The five bullying prevention events planned by the department’s Family Resource Centre (FRC) feature input from the campaign’s sponsors.

“The feedback generated from last year’s campaign proved that Stood Up served a very real need in challenging bullying,” said the Family Resource Centre’s Programme Co-ordinator Charmaine Miller. “The momentum is there and the strong impact generated among students, educators and parents has allowed us to increase this year’s campaign. The various events organised would not be possible without the continuous support of our sponsors.”

■ School Competitions – Monday 1 October – Wednesday 3 October. Stood Up’s opening event encourages students, ages 10 through 15 years old, to creatively explore ways to address bullying, e.g. through an activity, song or video. The participating schools are John Gray High School, Clifton Hunter High School and Layman E. Scott High School; West End Primary School, Edna Moyle Primary School, Savannah Primary School, Bodden Town Primary School along with Cayman International School, Cayman Prep and High School, St. Ignatius Catholic School and Wesleyan Christian Academy.

Schools will encourage individuals or groups of students to submit entries in either of two age categories. Each school will assess entries and put forward one entry from each age category to represent it at the Interscholastic Anti-bullying Fair.

■ Pink Shirt Day – Friday, 5 October, 8.30 a.m., Government Administration Building front steps. Members of the public are invited to join civil servants in a stand against bullying by wearing their pre-purchased pink Stood Up T-shirts (Adults $15/Children $10) for a group photograph. The shirts are available for purchase at the Family Resource Centre.

■ Interscholastic Anti-Bullying Fair – Saturday, 6 October, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., ARC Camana Bay. Planned in partnership with Hurley’s Media, Rotary Sunrise, Dart and local author Paul Schreiner, the fair will feature booths highlighting all the school entries. The event will also showcase kiosks from the Department of Counselling Services, Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, the YMCA, TAYA Lounge, the National Drug Council, United Against Bullying, Alex Panton Foundation, Youth Development Consortium, Save our Youth and Rotary Sunshine Club of Grand Cayman promoting their anti-bullying resources. Judges will select two winners per age category who will receive prizes and a Stood Up Trophy for their respective schools.

The public is invited to view the entries on display and pick up information literature and talk to representatives at the exhibition booths.

■ Stood Up Movie Night – Monday, 15 October, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m., the Greens at Camana Bay. This family movie night is being held in partnership with the United Against Bullying Foundation.

■ Take a Stand Against Bullying Conference – Wednesday, 24 October, 6 p.m., venue TBA. This interactive conference for parents will discuss the impact of bullying, and how to best support your child.

For more details about Stood Up events in October call the Family Resource Centre on 949-0006 or email [email protected]