Leah Steiner, counsellor at Medicine Hat High School (CHAT News Photo/Ross Lavigne)

By Chris Brown

be kind and supportive

COVID-19 presents a new front in the fight against bullying

Nov 19, 2020 | 1:38 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – One of the most common triggers of and reasons for poor mental health is bullying, particularly among teenagers. Add the COVID-19 pandemic to that and mental health concerns have become even more prevalent in Medicine Hat and around the world.

Medicine Hat High School has had three cases of COVID-19 in November, creating a new front in the fight against bullying and a new space where support is needed.

School counsellor Leah Steiner says the focus at Hat High has been the well being of that student and the family and admits there has been backlash for those with the virus.

“When those things do happen we have lots of resources in our schools to try and help support a student in particular with some strategies whether it be with counselling or with our student resource officer to try and deal with some of those situations,” she said.

Hat High has also let the entire school community know that being kind to each other is one of the best tools available, Steiner said.

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“With our very first case of COVID at Medicine Hat High School our principal Mr. Grisonich went on our announcements and spent some time talking to our whole student body and our staff about us as a culture at Medicine Hat High school and as a family at Medicine Hat High School and how we have to look out for each other and we actually are in this together,” she said. “We need to be kind and to be supportive of people who are staying home and that maybe have caused a ripple effect.”

Steiner commended the students who have had COVID-19 for coming forward even knowing that there could be a negative impact on relationships with friends or at school.

The school has built a campaign around reaching out and letting students know there are counsellors, therapists and a school resource officer available and how to get in touch.

Outside the school, Steiner says there are a lot of agencies that are accessible and free for families and for students to access including crisis phone and text numbers that are available 24 hours a day.

“If you are ever looking for support and needing to talk to someone, there’s someone who’s there so that whole reach out campaign has definitely been part of our Medicine Hat community and we’re lucky to live here because of that.”

For anyone concerned about friends and family, Steiner says withdrawal and avoidance behaviours could be indications of bullying. She also said more time online can be an indication of cyberbullying, explaining that they are especially concerned with what people are saying about them.

No matter where it’s happening, Steiner says people in education are looking out for their students.

“Teachers go into this business because they love kids and they love people and they know that they’re going to be making a difference in the world,” she said. “I think that teachers in any form of education are working really hard – especially this year with that disconnect of online learning or kids being at home and having to learn from home and wearing masks and all kinds of new protocols – this year to actually really build on healthy, positive, relationships.”

Nov. 16-20 is Bullying Awareness Week in Alberta.