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Bullying and Cyberbullying Updates

The recent tragedy of Rehtaeh Parsons has brought to light a serious form of bullying and emphasized the need for resources that teens can turn to should they find themselves bullied on the Internet. NeedHelpNow.ca is a new online resource created by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection to help teens who have had sexual photos or videos of themselves circulated online. 

Teen Health & Wellness supports this initiative, and NeedHelpNow.ca is now listed as a Resource in articles on Bullying and Cyberbullying; Stress; Suicide; Sexual Harassment; Sexual Abuse; Violence Against Women; Peer Pressure; Dating; Online Romance; Friendship, Dating, and Relationships for GLBT Teens; Social Networking Safely; and Wikis, Widgets, and Blogs. 

The article on Cyberbullying and the Law has also been updated with information on Rehtaeh Parsons and the proposed legal changes in Canada's Criminal Code that would make the distribution of such pictures without consent a crime. Use this article (and others) to foster discussion with your teens. 

Personal Stories Provide Comfort to Teens 

Teen Health & Wellness' Personal Story Project is an amazing way to help teens remember that they are not alone. Stories on topics such as bullying and cyberbullying, conflict resolution, dating, death of a friend, depression, and suicide help teens relate to the issues happening in their own lives.

Plus, teens can share their own personal stories for online publication. By sharing their stories, teens can connect with others dealing with the same challenges and help someone better understand their own life experience. Stories will be heard around the world by teens looking for help from someone who truly understands.

Rosalind Brice, Teen Services Specialist at the Toronto Public Library, has designed a number of programs for her teens (and adults!) using Teen Health & Wellness. Working in a "diverse, mainstream, multilingual, and multicultural" community, Rosalind creates programs on topics that can reach a wide audience. Such topics featured in her "What's On" series include Stop Bullying, eCare Yourself, Coping with Natural Disasters, and Prostate Cancer Awareness.

Rosalind designs her programs around topics found in Teen Health & Wellness, and her program leaders use the database to guide a discussion with the group. This "What's On" series is a great idea to continuously share information with your community on a wide variety of topics-you could even ask your patrons what topics they want to see featured next!

Let us know if you'd like more info on the "What's On" program series. And if you've used Teen Health & Wellness in your library or class, share with us! You could be featured in an upcoming newsletter!

• Does your library have a Facebook page? Have your teens make suggestions for your page and what they'd like to see featured.
• Host an issues Q & A. Ask teens what topics they'd like to discuss, and use Teen Health & Wellness to find information.
• Place bookmarks (or other promotional materials) on your nonfiction shelves to let your teens know about this resource available to them.
• Check out the curriculum correlations to find how Teen Health & Wellness is related to provincial Health standards.