Fifty young people, parents and others invested in the welfare of youth gathered at Christ Church Cathedral on February 2nd for an afternoon on the subject of bullying. Jessica Pratezina, Youth and Family Ministries Coordinator at the Cathedral, introduced a screening of the movie Bully. The 2010 film has drawn many plaudits for its frank and honest portrayal of bullying in a variety of US high schools, but has not been widely released.
Following the screening Jessica and Phil Colvin, Diocesan Youth Coordinator, moderated a discussion between the audience and a panel including Dean Peter Elliot, Jarrah Hodge of the Huffington Post Dr. Aaron White, School Psychologist for West Vancouver Schools and Adjunct Professor in Educational Psychology at UBC and Brenda Morrison, Associate Professor at the school of criminology and Director of the Centre for Restorative Justice at SFU. The discussion stemmed from the audience’s reactions to the movie, and their own experiences of bullying in a variety of contexts. Contributions from some of the younger members at the event were especially powerful.
Among the audience was Carol Todd, mother of Amanda Todd who took her own life in October 2012. She shared the stories of young people and their families from across the world who have contacted her in the months subsequent to her daughter’s death. To close the event Rev. David Taylor, Associate Priest at St. Mary’s, Kerrisdale led a Walk of Awareness to the waterfront where participants could deposit flowers in to the water and offer prayers of hope and commitment to be agents for change in the world.
Images: Homepage: The Rev. David Taylor and Carol Todd lead the group down the stairs of Christ Church Cathedral to begin the Awareness Walk to the Waterfront. Top: The participants walk north on Burrard Street to the Waterfront. Middle: David applauds the words of Carol Todd. Lower right: Panelists, Aaron White and Brenda Morrison. Below: Carol waves goodbye to the flowers.
PHOTOS: Wayne Chose