The Editor,
The tragic death of 15-year-old Coquitlam girl Amanda Todd has brought the issue of bullying into sharp focus.
This tragedy has created a kind of awareness about the curse of bullying never seen before.
Bullying happens at all levels in different forms. However, cyber bullying has added a new dimension to it. Bullying amongst children is very common. It can have deadly consequences especially amongst adolescents.
The majority of adolescents lack the predictive judgement and reasoning skills. As such, they are very vulnerable to outside influences and pressures. As adults, parents and caregivers, we need to do everything within our power to empower our children to deal with bullies and bullying in an effective manner. This is what Richmond Multicultural Community Services' Richmond in 3D has been doing in schools.
Richmond in 3D (Diversity, Dialogue and Drama), The Legacy Project, is an initiative and an RMCS program funded by the provincial government. It uses storytelling, drama and dialogue to inspire young people. Over the past two years, Richmond in 3D has touched over 1500 students in the Richmond school system.
This group consisting of 23 young people ranging in age from 14 to 20 plus has been doing an excellent job in dealing with issues relating to racism, diversity and leadership. They encourage dialogue through playback theatre.
Recently, this group of very enthusiastic young people embarked on a project designed to address the issue of bullying.
As part of this this project, the documentary A Journey to Action was made to chronicle the participants' work and personal experiences. This presentation was made possible with co-operation from Richmond schools and students. It is bound to inspire other young people into taking action and creating initiatives to make their environment more welcoming and safe.
This is a great educational tool for professionals dealing with children and adolescents. A Journey to Action will be shown at the Richmond Olympic Oval on Wednesday, Nov. 21 at 6: 30 p.m.
Admission is free. However, as the seats are limited, interested individuals are requested to contact Stefanie at RMCS ([email protected] or 604248-0433).
Balwant Sanghera Richmond Multicultural Community Services
