A commitment to child safety makes the grade

On Oct. 2, Don’t Bully Me, a two-hour anti-bullying workshop for children aged 6 to 10 and their parents, will be offered at Victoria Hall.

George Manoli, the workshop’s facilitator, developed his approach by drawing from his extensive experience as a teacher and police officer and believes that children “learn best by doing.”

According to Statistics Canada, bullying is on the rise in Quebec; 10 per cent of students report experiencing some form of bullying at least once a week.

In response to this growing concern, the City of Westmount has once again decided to offer the annual workshop.

“It’s important to what we’re living, especially in light of recent news; it’s affecting us more and more,” said Programme and Community Services Coordinator Claude Danis.

The workshop aims to curb bullying by teaching children and their parents how to diffuse a confrontational situation in an effective and non-violent manner.

“A bully is always looking for the easiest target,” Manoli said. “You have to learn to manage the stress and confusion that happens during an incident.”

In the group session, the kids act out seven or eight typical scenarios, and the responses are evaluated according to the ‘principals of confrontation’, which are basic exit strategies applicable to variety of difficult situations.

The importance of body language is also stressed. The children are able to understand the concepts because they are explained in simple and relatable ways. “Are your actions timid like a mouse or strong like a lion?” is a question Manoli poses after participants complete role-playing exercises.

Parental involvement is an essential component to anti-bullying training as well; a complete understanding of what is happening in the child’s life is needed in order to handle bullying problems. Additionally, “Mom and Dad need to be singing the same song” so that the child is receiving a consistent message from parents about how to handle a difficult situation, Manoli said.

On average, Manoli gives training to three or four children a month, on an individual basis. “The majority of times the parents are at their wits end and don’t know what else to do, maybe the child is withdrawn or suicidal,” he said.

Manoli estimates that one percent of his clientele are the bullies themselves. In these cases he deals with parents extensively in order to figure out exactly how the child is “programmed.”

“In the past, bullying was seen as a right of passage, but tolerance is no longer the norm,” said Shari Salonin, whose 10-year-old son recently underwent an individualized training

session with Manoli. “Toughing it out is no longer acceptable advice.”

An active member in the Home and School Association in the West Island where her son attends school, Salonin has brought bullying sensitisation materials into her son’s school.

“As parents, we can provide suggestions, but with a third party there’s no emotional involvement – George Manoli brings a different awareness to the situation, then identifies skills in your child and helps bring them out through role playing” Salonin said.

The course costs $40 per child and parent participation is mandatory. Registration for Westmount residents begins Aug. 23 at the Westmount arena, 4675 Ste. Catherine St. W., from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Registration for non-residents begins Sept. 5 at the same location.