Thank you to those who joined us for a day filled with stimulating discussion, informational discourse, and inspirational performances to encourage the active prevention of bullying!

 

All handouts and presentation materials from the seminar are attached below. Please feel free to download or print these items if you would like to keep them. They will be removed from our website on April 8, 2013.

We would also like to show an art piece that was created in a breakout session led by Carol Tharp-Perrin called "Creating the Fabric of a Stronger Community." Participants were able to make their own section of the quilt and here is the finished product:

 If you would like to make a donation to support on-going efforts after the symposium to prevent bullying and peer aggression, please click here to make a tax deductible gift:

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A brief history of the symposium:

In the fall of 2011, several of us at CRG decided to address an issue that has been a concern for quite some time – bullying.  At our practice, we see students of all ages who have been exposed to bullying and peer aggression in one way or another.  These students typically fall into one of three categories: bullies, targets, or bystanders.  It has become clear, however, that a new category needs to be developed.  As mental health professionals, parents, school personnel, medical providers, law enforcement, and community members, it is necessary to teach our children to become “upstanders” – people who will not look the other way, walk off, or join in when others are being victimized.  Instead, we need to help our children demonstrate compassion, strength, and courage in helping to put an end to these harmful behaviors.

On March 9, 2013, CRG is partnering with Peace Learning Center, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Indiana State Teachers Association, and the Arts Council of Indianapolis to host a one-day symposium entitled Bullying Prevention: Creating a Culture of Acceptance at the Indiana Convention Center.  The symposium will bring together people from various corners of our community who all have a vested interest in this topic.  We have also decided to incorporate the arts into this memorable day in hopes that we will be able to touch people’s hearts as well as their minds, thereby prompting each participant to subsequently become involved in this effort in a real way.

The goals of the event are to:

• Raise awareness of the serious nature of bullying & how it impacts every sector of our community.
• Help participants understand that prevention is the most effective way to address the problem.
• Empower attendees to become actively involved in preventing bullying in individual situations & in the larger community.