The Surrey RCMP, the City of Surrey and CUPE 402 have joined forces to launch a new youth film contest designed to highlight the issue of bullying.
Students are being invited to submit a 30-second or one-minute video focusing on how or why bullying must end.
“We need to draw attention to the effects of bullying and send a strong message to both students and adults that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated in our schools, our workplaces, online, or anywhere in our communities,” said Mayor Dianne Watts.
The contest has two categories: one for juniors (ages 14-15) and one for senior students (ages 16-18). Entries will be evaluated by a panel of independent jurors and all videos will be shown at a screening prior to anti-bullying day.
Prizes will be awarded and the winning entries will be profiled on Shaw TV and announced at an event on anti-bullying day on Feb. 29.
City staff are also working with Project Change BC to arrange to have the videos shown at their film festival later this year.
"This initiative will hopefully not only shine a light on the issue of bullying but also engage the youth of this community," said Assistant Commissioner Fraser MacRae, Officer in Charge at the Surrey Detachment. "Dialogue on this issue is key to moving forward and changing individual and collective attitudes on bullying,”
The campaign aligns well with the "prevent and deter" component of Surrey’s Crime Reduction Strategy, which identifies education and awareness building as an important means to prevent and deter criminal behaviour.
For more information, please visit www.surrey.ca/stopbullying.
The deadline for submissions is Feb. 6, 5 p.m.