‘Celebrating being us!’: It is bullying-free week in Aotearoa

Bullying-free New Zealand Week is a nation-wide event raising awareness on how to prevent and respond to bullying.

The event started on May 13 and will end with the Mental Health Foundation's Pink Shirt Day on May 17.

Led by the Bullying Prevention Advisory Group, the week celebrates individuality and provides an opportunity for schools to highlight their everyday work to counter bullying.

The theme of this year reads 'Whakanuia tou ahua ake! Celebrating being us!'

The Mental Health Foundation's media engagement officer Mark Wilson said that Bullying-free Week and Pink Shirt Day is an activation point for schools to review their anti-bullying policies.

"Ending bullying takes more than one day and takes the commitment and energy of everyone.

"We know that the impact of bullying can lead to people experiencing mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety and even suicidal thoughts. We all need to take a stand to ensure that nobody suffers as a result of bullying."

AUT Student Association group (AUTSA) will be celebrating national Pink Shirt Day across all of the university's three campuses on Friday to recognise bullying and celebrate diversity.

AUTSA president Dharyin Colbert said Pink Shirt Day was about recognising that everyone is human and has a part to play.

"Bullying has been a problem in the past, it's still a problem and still something that we have to be thinking about and that we should be working on.

"We have to be open. We have to work together. That is at the core of everything that we do as a student association."

AUT will be holding events such as performances and a bake sale, all donations will go towards the Mental Health Foundation.

The University will also have a support wall for people to write inspirational messages and talk about their experience with bullying along with stalls promoting the services that AUT have in support of mental health.

To get involved with Bullying-Free NZ Week 2019 please visit here.

Where to find help:

• Need to Talk? - Call or text 1737
• Lifeline - 0800 543 354 or (09) 5222 999 within Auckland
• Youthline - 0800 376 633, text 234, email talk@youthline.co.nz, or chat online
• Samaritans - 0800 726 666
• Depression Helpline - 0800 111 757
• Suicide Crisis Helpline - 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)